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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25310488">Introduction to Something More</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlmightyMirage/pseuds/AlmightyMirage'>AlmightyMirage</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Favorites, Feelings and You [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Community (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post Season 6, Romance, Slow Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 02:02:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>165,734</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25310488</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlmightyMirage/pseuds/AlmightyMirage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>With Annie back in Greendale after her internship, she and Jeff start to pick up where they left off before the summer. But where do they go from there? </p><p>Picks up where <em>Advanced Relationship Uncertainty and Separation</em> left off, but can also be read separately.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Annie Edison/Jeff Winger</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Favorites, Feelings and You [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1833271</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>169</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Annie. Annie was back. She smiled so widely at him, looked so happy to see him. Suddenly, all ideas about how this would go were thrown out the window, as Annie hurried over to him, dropping her trio of bags and luggage on the floor in the process, and crashed into his chest for a big hug. She held him tightly, arms wrapped around his waist, and it felt so right to have her so close. He held her in place, gentle, but still firm. If he had his way, she could have stayed there forever, but sooner or later they had to move.</p><p>Annie was the one who finally pulled away from the hug, albeit reluctantly. “Hi.” She said with a massive smile on her face, standing directly in front of him, looking up at his face.</p><p>“Hi.” Jeff returned, grinning widely in return.</p><p>“I’ve missed you.” Annie said, her look drifting down to her hands for a second.</p><p>“I missed you too. A lot. More than you can imagine.” Jeff admitted, feeling like this was as good a time as any to open up.</p><p>“I know.” Annie replied, her eyes darting back up to his again, smiling widely as she said it.</p><p>“Did you just Han Solo me?” Jeff asked, looking at her incredulously.</p><p>“Maybe?” Annie said, but she knew what she had done. Jeff only chuckled in response.</p><p>“Annie Edison secretly knows nerd references, who would have thought.” Jeff finally managed to bring himself to say.</p><p>“Learnt quite a few from Abed and Troy, but I knew this one myself.” Annie said with some pride in her voice.</p><p>“I’m impressed.” Jeff admitted.</p><p>“Thank you.” Annie said proudly with a big grin, happy she could do the one nerdy thing he wouldn’t groan about.</p><p>“Come on, we should get back to the car before your bags get stolen.” Jeff said, indicating to the bags she had haphazardly discarded behind them earlier. “And then you’re telling me all about your flight here.”</p><p>“Sounds like a plan.” Annie said, and went to pick up all of her bags. </p><p>“There is no way I’m letting you take all of those. Here, let me take some of them.” Jeff said, indicating that she could hand one off.</p><p>“I don’t need to you to carry my bags, Jeff.” Annie huffed in response.</p><p>“I know that, but I want to. Please?” Jeff said, hoping she wouldn’t outright reject what seemed like a sweet and gentlemanly gesture in his mind.</p><p>“If you insist.” Annie smiled, accepting his gesture. </p><p>Upon saying that, Jeff took the overly stuffed bag from her shoulder, and threw it over his own shoulder, leaving Annie with an equally overfilled luggage she could roll on the floor, and a handbag. They walked to the car, with Jeff detailing to her how awful it was to find a parking space. “It’s a massive airport, how did nobody think to build a big parking lot?” He groaned.</p><p>“Lots of people take the taxi here, so that’s probably why.” Annie deduced in response.</p><p>“<em>Still</em>. Anyway, it’s right over there.” Jeff said, pointing over to his Lexus, parked a bit further down the lot.</p><p>“Ohh, shiny! Did you wash it today?” Annie asked, seeing as it was still squeaky clean all around.</p><p>“I did, thanks for noticing. Still hurt that you didn’t notice me getting all dressed up, but I’ll let it slide since you complimented the car.” Jeff said, laughing a bit at how <em>that</em> was the thing she noticed.</p><p>“You’re always dressed up, Jeff." Annie replied, with a slight eyeroll and a laugh." But you have a point, you do look very nice today.” She purred, studying his well-fitting attire.</p><p>“You don’t look too bad yourself.” Jeff returned, smiling at her.</p><p>“You’re only saying that to be nice, I definitely do not look good in this wrinkly shirt after being cramped into a seat with too little leg space even for me.” Annie exclaimed, stretching out her arms to show just how wrinkled her shirt had become.</p><p>“Annie, I’ve seen you pull off being dressed as the most adorable skeleton I’ve ever seen. You could wear anything, and still make it look good. Even a wrinkly shirt.” Jeff said, completely serious as he said it, his eyes searching out hers. </p><p>A bit taken aback by the compliment; Annie didn’t know what to do with herself for a second, her cheeks blushing in a mild tone of red against her pale skin. Quickly, she composed herself and responded. “Thank you.” She exclaimed shyly. </p><p>Deciding not to linger on a potentially awkward moment, Jeff unlocked the car with the button on his key, and opened up the trunk. Gently he placed her bag to the left side, and as Annie started to lift up the trolley, he reached out a hand. “Let me.” He said, and Annie put it down again for him to place inside of the car. </p><p>With the bags placed safely in the trunk, he slipped past her to the passenger side, with Annie looking at him in utter confusion. Then he opened the passenger side door, while standing on the other side of it.</p><p>“Milady.” He said, and Annie quickly picked up on what he was doing. Annie walked over to the door, and reached out her right hand, letting Jeff kiss it. “Milord.” She said back to him with a slightly bashful smile, and sat herself into the passenger side seat. Jeff closed the door beside her, then walked around the front of the car to the driver’s side, giving Annie the chance to study him with her eyes as he walked by.</p><p>They pulled out of the carpark in silence, before Annie suddenly decided to speak up again. “So, how come you're the only one here to pick me up?”</p><p>“Britta is stuck at work, Frankie is visiting family, the rest are spread across the country, and I figured you could do without the craziness of the Chang and the Dean on your first night back.” Jeff casually explained, keeping his eyes on the road as he spoke.</p><p>“Oh.” Annie said back, and he could hear she was a bit disappointed. As much as it hurt to see her like that, all would be okay soon enough.</p><p>Noting her pained expression, he regretted not telling her that he just wanted to see her alone, but he decided to distract her instead. “But enough of that, how was your flight?”</p><p>“Horrible. I already told you about the cramped seats, and there was this woman with a baby on the plane, and it would not stop crying.” Annie said, clearly annoyed by the baby.</p><p>“Ah, that sucks. Don’t you have a headset or something?” Jeff asked, pretty sure he could recall Annie having one.</p><p>“I do, but it’s wireless, and I forgot to charge it before I went. Lasted for like 15 minutes before it died on me.” Annie said with a groan. </p><p>“Annie Edison forgetting to plan for something? Who <em>are</em> you?” Jeff laughed.</p><p>“I thought it was charged up, I hadn’t used it in days. I kind of just forgot to check it in the middle of everything. So, I had to sit there listening to the baby. I felt bad for it, it’s probably never been on a flight before and got scared.” She added with a bit more sympathy.</p><p>“Probably. I can’t tell you how I’d react either, never been on a plane before.” Jeff said, alluding to his lack of out of state travel. </p><p>“Yeah, that’s right. We need to sort that out eventually. And it’s really not that bad if you don’t get any screaming babies, or if you’re willing to pay a bit more so you don’t get the worst seats on the plane.” Annie said, remembering that he had mentioned something along those lines before.</p><p>“If even you felt the leg space was lacking, imagine how <em>I</em> would feel.” Jeff said with a laugh.</p><p>“Would be the worst flight ever. I can just imagine it if you travelled with me, screaming baby behind me and complaining Jeff beside me. Think I’d go insane.” Annie said, returning his laugh as she turned to face him. </p><p>Jeff turned his face for a brief second, and saw that look on her face. She looked so….happy, her big, beautiful blue eyes looking at him so fondly. He could look back at her forever, but he had to look away, unless he wanted to crash the car. “You survived Greendale without losing it completely, I think you could survive a flight with me and a baby.” He finally replied, eyes facing towards the road ahead.</p><p>“Hm, maybe.” Annie hummed in slight agreement. “How has things been for you lately? We haven’t really spoken much about you after I told you the news.” She asked a bit later.</p><p>“Things are going well, I think. At least I feel like it’s going better. Going back to therapy helped, and I’ve had more to distract myself recently, since the new school year is getting closer. Besides, I’ve had this to look forward to for the past week.” Jeff responded honestly.</p><p>“That’s good to hear. What school stuff are you preparing?” Annie asked, intrigued to hear that Jeff was actually preparing for his teaching.</p><p>“I’ve been reading up on contractual law. I know it fairly well already, but I had to find a new textbook. The old one the school told me to use was horrible, completely outdated and the worst read I’ve ever done. Had to find a better one by myself.” Jeff replied, still keeping his eyes peeled on the road, while he could see Annie studying him in his sideview.</p><p>“Jeff Winger putting in work for his students, who would have thought?” Annie said with a laugh. He had grown so much, even in the past few years. </p><p>“Well you see, if the book is awful, that forces me to teach them virtually everything by myself. Now I can just tell them to read the book, and they’ll be fine.” Jeff said smugly, indicating that he had thought this out.</p><p>“Clever. But a good book helps regardless, I’m sure the students appreciate it even if you’re doing it for your own sake.” Annie said, not super pleased with his motivation behind it, but she would at least acknowledge that he was doing something good.</p><p>“What about you? How would you say your trip was overall?” Jeff asked in return.</p><p>“Mostly good. I learned a lot, it was especially good to see how they work, not just knowing things in theory. Shame I couldn’t get a permanent position somewhere, but as you said, it’s not the end of the world. <em>And</em>, I got the recommendation that you told me to get. He told me that I could list him as a reference, and he also reiterated that they really liked me, so they would keep me in mind for later.” Annie said, sounding very pleased with the last part.</p><p>“That’s great! I knew they’d like you.” Jeff said, turning for a brief second to look at her. He saw that same face, her happy and proud face.</p><p>“Thank you again, for believing in me. But you don’t know that, Jeff. For all you knew, I’d be horrible there.” Annie said, her face looking a bit more down.</p><p>“Annie, I know you work harder than anyone, and you are the brightest, most passionate and kindest person I’ve ever met. I know that about you, and besides, everybody likes you.” Jeff said with complete sincerity, meaning every word he just said.</p><p>“Not everyone.” Annie simply responded, and turned to look out the window, studying the places they passed by as they drove down the highway towards Greendale.</p><p>“Annie, we talked about your parents. Don’t worry about what they think. If they can’t see the wonderful young woman that you’ve turned into, then that’s their loss.” Jeff reiterated from their conversation a few weeks prior.</p><p>“It’s not just them, Jeff. What about Annie-Kim? She hated my guts.” Annie said, pulling up a specific example.</p><p>“She was jealous of you, and competitive against you. Besides, she was a scheming bitch, her opinion is worthless.” Jeff said, making sure to tell Annie exactly why Annie-Kim was worth none of their time.</p><p>“Okay, but what about Professor Kane, in biology, or Professor Cornwallis? None of them liked me.” Annie said, highlighting her troubles with two of the professors at Greendale.</p><p>“Kane realized that you were okay after the yam trial. And Cornwallis was a crazy old man who only would have liked you if you slept with him.” Jeff pointed out.</p><p>“Jeff!” Annie exclaimed after hearing what he said about Cornwallis.</p><p>“What? He was kicked out of his previous position for a “tryst” with a coed, probably so he would give that student a better grade, because I see no other way anyone would willingly spend time with that guy.” Jeff explained, pointing out the logic behind his claim.</p><p>Realizing that Jeff was right about Cornwallis, she changed course. “Okay, but what about Noah?” Annie then asked.</p><p>“Who the hell is Noah?” Jeff asked in return, utterly confused.</p><p>“Noah was a co-worker in D.C. Initially, he was really sweet, he helped me get used to the work and introduced me to the others, helping me integrate into the group easier. But then he asked me out after a few weeks, and I said no. I asked if we could just remain friends, and that I didn’t want to date since I didn’t know how long I would stay there. He agreed, but after that he was just…cold towards me.” Annie explained, sounding a bit sad.</p><p>“Annie, he was probably just down after getting rejected. I’m sure it wasn’t anything personal.” Jeff said, trying to reason with her.</p><p>“Jeff, he didn’t <em>like</em> me. He just thought I was pretty and wanted to sleep with me. When I declined, he suddenly wasn’t even slightly interested in being friendly.” Annie said with a sour tone as she turned back to look at him.</p><p>Jeff drew a quick breath, before speaking. “Annie…I…look, I don’t know why he did that. It was really shitty of him, and put you in an awful spot. But screw him, he doesn’t matter. I take back what I said, everybody doesn’t like you. But most do, and the few that don’t usually have ulterior motives behind not liking you. But when I say that I think you’re absolutely amazing, I mean that. I meant all the things I said earlier about you. And I know that everybody in the group would say just the same thing. You are the best person in that group, and we all adore you and respect you.” Jeff said, launching himself into a speech about her. </p><p>“Aw, Jeff. Thank you. You’re pretty great too, you know?” Annie said, with a fond smile on her face.</p><p>“I know, I’m pretty awesome.” Jeff replied with that shit-eating grin of his.</p><p>“No, Jeff, I’m serious. You’re a really good guy, and you’ve grown so much since we met. You don’t always admit it, but you care so much about the rest of us, and we’ve noticed that. But you’re still beating yourself up at times, when you really shouldn’t be. You’re right, you are awesome, I just wish you thought that yourself, instead of just saying it without believing it.” Annie said, her face more serious again now. </p><p>Focusing on the road was getting difficult now. Jeff didn’t know what to say, he only wanted to turn to Annie, and look her right in those big, blue eyes he was so infatuated with. Yet he kept his eyes on the road, intending not to ruin the moment by crashing the car as he finally replied. “Wow. I don’t really know what to say. Thank you, Annie. I think that’s the best I can do for now.”</p><p>“I made Jeff Winger speechless. I’ll treasure this moment forever; this might be my greatest achievement yet.” Annie joked back, laughing a bit at him. Jeff only gave her a slight smile in return.</p><p>They drove a bit further in silence, until they reached the highway exit to Greendale. “So, outside of work, how was D.C.?” Jeff finally brought himself to ask, and let go of the steering wheel with his right hand to rest his arm on the centre console.</p><p>“It was….a mixed bag, I guess? I liked the city, was a lot to see and do there, and the apartment was okay, but I felt a bit lonely.” Annie said, with a pensive look on her face as she studied the passing buildings she hadn’t seen in a while.</p><p>“What about the people you met at work? Were there nobody there to talk to?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Initially, there were a few. But after the whole thing with Noah, I felt like I couldn’t hang out with the group he had introduced me to. It just felt weird, so I stayed away from them. And I didn’t really connect with the people I lived with either, we just stayed out of each other’s way for the most part.” Annie said, sounding a bit disappointed.</p><p>“That sucks. I hate that he put you in that position, wasn’t especially considerate of him to do that.” Jeff said, feeling bad about how that had soured her experience. Internally, he wondered for a second if she had declined Noah because of him, but threw that thought away quickly.</p><p>“Well, it is what it is. I’m here now. I don’t regret going, I learned a lot, and hopefully that can help me out on my next step, whatever that is.” Annie said, putting on her serious face again and shoving the sad thoughts away.</p><p>“Yeah, you’re here now. That’s the important part.” Jeff said, and turned to her for a brief second to smile slightly at her.</p><p>“Yeah, it is.” Annie said, returning his smile. Jeff returned his eyes to the road after a brief second, but Annie decided to capitalize on the moment, and reached her left arm out to meet his, placing hers over his. Instinctively, Jeff turned his hand and opened it up, letting Annie join hers with his, their fingers laced together. With a shy smile on each of their faces, they kept driving towards Britta’s place, none of them daring to interrupt the moment by speaking.</p><p>Soon enough though, they ran into a red light, forcing Jeff to reluctantly release her hand as he cursed himself for not buying an automatic. A few minutes later, they finally reached their destination. “We’re here.” Jeff simply said.</p><p>“Yeah.” Annie replied, not really knowing what to say.</p><p>Jeff parked the car and turned off the ignition, then turned to face her. “So, has it hit you yet?” He asked her.</p><p>Annie looked at him confused. “What exactly is supposed to hit me?”</p><p>“You’re moving in with Britta <em>alone</em>.” Jeff said.</p><p>“I’ve lived with her before, Jeff. It’s not a big deal.” Annie said, and truly meant it.</p><p>“Yeah, when Abed was there. Now it’s just the two of you there.” Jeff said, pointing out a major difference.</p><p>“Still, it’s nothing I’m not used to.” Annie countered.</p><p>“Well then I hope for your sake that she treats the place better when you’re around.” Jeff said, laughing a bit.</p><p>“Was it that bad when she was alone?” Annie asked, looking a bit worried.</p><p>“Trust me, you don’t want to know. I volunteered to help clean up a few days ago, and those memories will haunt me forever.” Jeff said, his face haunted by the memory.</p><p>“If you say so.” Annie said, face still showing some worry. “I’ll get her to behave regardless. She can keep her mess inside of her room. I’ve seen that room before, and I’d rather not see that mess in the whole apartment.” </p><p>“I hope you’re right.” Jeff said. “Anyway, time to head up there so you can finally relax for a bit.” He then added, and released his seatbelt.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s.” Annie agreed, and copied his action before they both got out of the car. They took out her luggage from the trunk, and headed inside. They finally reached the door, and Jeff realized that he was walking first. He took out the spare key he had been given by Britta, and handed it over to Annie. “From Britta. Welcome home, Annie.”</p><p>Annie looked at him suspiciously, but didn’t say anything. “After you.” Jeff then said, and indicated for her to unlock the door and head inside.</p><p>Annie did as he said, and unlocked the door, opening it slowly.  “SURPRISE! Welcome back Annie!” She heard, and opened the door fully to find Britta, Frankie, the Dean and Chang standing there with massive grins on their faces.</p><p>Annie couldn’t help but smile widely back at them. She got an idea that something was up when Jeff handed her the key, but until then had been too distracted by their conversation and the feeling of being back to even contemplate the idea. “Awwwwww, you guys!” She cooed in joy, and dropped the luggage to run into a hug with Britta and Frankie, while the Dean and Chang awkwardly tried to become part of it. </p><p>Meanwhile, Jeff stood in the doorway, smiling at the sight before him. He was happy that he could make her this overjoyed with a surprise. While they kept hugging, he carried the bags and luggage into her slightly empty room, chuckling a bit at the Dean and Chang’s attempts at trying to be part of the moment.</p><p>“What are you laughing at?” Chang exclaimed upon seeing Jeff laughing.</p><p>Sensing conflict, Jeff decided to defuse. He chuckled slightly, then replied. “Nothing. I’m just happy, that’s all.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff, Britta, Frankie, the Dean and Chang celebrate Annie's return to Greendale and Apartment 303, but things don't exactly go smoothly.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The party had been an odd affair for Jeff. Predictably, Annie was the focus for everyone, with people asking her tons of questions about her trip. That left Jeff in an odd position, as he both knew a lot of it before she even returned, and had been filled in on the rest on their drive back to the apartment. He sat there in silence, alternating between fidgeting with his shirt, checking his phone, and stealing glances at Annie as she spoke with the four others. </p><p>She looked absolutely beautiful. He had never said that out loud, though he had admitted to her being very attractive on occasion. But as he sat there, it was hard not to look at her as she sat there with a smile on her face, revelling in the attention she was getting. Sometimes, she would return his looks, give him a slight smile, and continue talking with the others. To keep himself from staring, his phone became his saviour, as it often was. He found himself checking Twitter, refreshing it repeatedly. Sadly, there was not much going on that Saturday night. There was no news of interest, and most sports happened on Sundays, outside of college football. The Colorado Buffaloes had played earlier in the day, leaving his timeline pretty dead.</p><p>However, he couldn’t help but notice some of the things she said to the others. She said pretty much the same as she had to him, but with less details. It could be that she was withholding some info due to the Dean and Chang being there, but it was pleasing that she showed that level of trust towards him. It was a bit of a new thing for him, he never really wanted that kind of relationship with anyone. Casual, non-committal was enough to satisfy him, throwing feelings and emotions into it just complicated everything. But now? With Annie, he wanted to know more, to do more. </p><p>Feeling his mind go into a tailspin, he excused himself to go to the bathroom as Annie told the story of how she had seen bird poop land on the back of a Labrador the first time she had visited the Washington Monument. Admittedly a hilarious story, but one she had told him a month ago. The others seemed to pay no mind as he left the table, did what had to be done in the bathroom, and then stood there for a moment in front of the mirror, just staring himself down. He told himself that he would go out there, and try to be more part of the conversation. And to make it less obvious that he was longing to be alone with Annie again.</p><p>Jeff headed out of the bathroom, and steered right into the kitchen to go grab himself a glass of water. He found himself a glass, and stood there sipping on it when Frankie walked in on him. </p><p>“You’re awfully quiet tonight.” She said as she walked in Jeff standing with his back to the entrance, scaring the living hell out of him, and making him swallow the water wrong.</p><p>“Jesus, way to sneak up on me.” Jeff said weakly, after clearing his throat enough to speak again<br/>
.<br/>
“Apologies. You’ve just been oddly quiet. Is everything okay?” Frankie asked with a furrowed brow.</p><p>“Yeah, just haven’t had much to add. Me and Annie talked over the summer and on the way here, so I know most of it already.” Jeff explained.</p><p>“Hm.” Franklie simply uttered. “Glass of water? Not drinking to celebrate?” She then asked.</p><p>“I’m driving, Frankie.” Jeff responded instantly, and he could not even believe she had to ask that.</p><p>“You won’t have a few drinks to get an excuse to stay over for the night?” Frankie asked, in what Jeff felt was a very leading question.</p><p>“What are you getting at Frankie?” Jeff asked, his tone suddenly very serious.</p><p>“Don’t take me for an idiot, Jeff. I’ve seen those looks you give her. I know that more than anything else, you want the rest of us to leave so you can talk with her alone.” Frankie said in an accusing tone, looking at Jeff sceptically.</p><p>Jeff felt himself getting angrier upon hearing that. “What if I do want that? But what if, and catch this: I’m not actively scheming to get her alone tonight. What then? Do you have any more accusations to throw at me?” He spat back at her in a hostile tone. </p><p>“Look, Jeff. I know that you’re in love with her.” Frankie began saying in a more hushed tone, realizing that the others had probably overheard them even with the music out there. “But I ask you to look past that, despite how much it hurts. Annie has so much she can do in this world, she’s so bright. I just don’t want her to waste that away because she’s in love with an older guy who screwed up his career. And don’t think I didn’t hear about that situation at the bar earlier this summer. You can’t get wrapped up in idiotic behaviour like that and expect me to approve of you being with her.” She continued, really digging her heels in about her disapproval of Jeff pursuing Annie.</p><p>Jeff took a deep breath. He could feel his anger simmering inside of him, waiting to burst out, but he had to keep calm, and explain himself rationally. “First of all, that <em>'situation'</em> you refer to, was a false accusation. I did absolutely nothing, and I was cleared of it. Britta was right in front of me when it happened, at work. and testified for me. If you don’t believe me, you can ask her about it. Secondly, Annie is a grown woman. She can decide for herself what she wants, and you should trust her enough to do that if you hold her as highly as it sounds like you do. I know I trust her to choose for herself. Thirdly, I have zero intention of ever letting her waste herself away. I’ve been there, done that. I know all about it, and I would never, ever do that to her. That you think that I would do that hurts, it really does. Now, I don’t want to talk more about this, so what say you we get back to the rest before they get suspicious?” Jeff said back in an irritated, but hushed tone, letting Frankie know exactly what he thought of her judgement.</p><p>“It’s not that I think you’ve got bad intentions, Jeff.” Frankie responded calmly.</p><p>“Well then you clearly don’t trust my judgement. Either way, I’ve got nothing more to say to you.” Jeff spat back, and then walked off with his half-full glass of water.</p><p>Jeff sat back down in his chair at the round table they were sitting at, sporting a completely blank face. Frankie came seconds later, having also gotten herself a glass of water. </p><p>“Jeffrey! You were gone for a while?” The Dean perked up, once he realized that Jeff was back among them.</p><p>“Yeah, Frankie and I just got to talking about our summers. Sorry.” Jeff said, giving the dean a straight-faced lie.</p><p>Annie squinted a bit at him, but didn’t comment. “Oh, but how was your summer Jeffrey? Outside of that unfortunate situation, of course?” The Dean asked.</p><p>“Nothing special. Drank some scotch, watched some tv, reconnected with my half-brother.” Jeff replied, leaving out all the important details he would rather the Dean didn’t know.</p><p>“Well I did notice that you were at home a lot except on night time early in the summer.” The Dean said, revealing his constant surveillance of Jeff coming and going.</p><p>“Craig, what have I told you about monitoring when I come and go?” Jeff asked, reminding the Dean.</p><p>“Oh, but Jeffrey, I was simply worried for you!” The Dean exclaimed in return.</p><p>“I agree with Jeff here, monitoring when your neighbor leaves…that’s kinda creepy. We’ve already got the government monitoring us, we don’t need our neighbours to do it too.” Britta chimed in.</p><p>“See? None of us here would like being monitored like that.” Jeff said, holding his arms out to indicate that he meant everyone there.</p><p>“You can film me if you want.” Chang added.</p><p>“Shut up Chang, this isn’t some porno.” Jeff said with some annoyance.</p><p>Annie cleared her throat, then spoke up. “I think what Jeff is trying to say is that he’s uncomfortable with you keeping track of when he’s coming and going from his apartment, and he would like you stop doing that.” </p><p>“Jeffrey, I didn’t know that you felt this way.” The Dean said, a bit taken aback.</p><p>“I do. I would like it if you didn’t keep track of me.” Jeff confirmed.</p><p>The Dean remained silent, for once. Feeling the tension in the air, Annie decided to break it up. </p><p>“So, Britta, Jeff told me that he helped clean here a few days ago, but he refused to tell me any specifics. I’d like to know what you’ve done to the place while I was gone.” Annie asked, facing Britta directly.</p><p>“Pshhh, it wasn’t <em>that</em> bad, come on now. I just hadn't done the laundry and had some dirty dishes, nothing I couldn't handle.” Britta said, trying to blow off the question.</p><p>“Annie, there was a used condom under the couch cushions.” Jeff said, letting her know what had disgusted him so much.</p><p>“WHAT? That’s disgusting, what the fuck Britta!?” Annie exclaimed in shock and anger, uttering a rare swearword from her.</p><p>“Some douche I had sex with must have left it there, I didn't put that there, I’m not that disgusting.” Britta shrugged, not wanting to take blame for it.</p><p>“Still? You clearly had sex on the couch! Why didn’t you wash the cushions afterwards? Then you would have found that there. That’s just common decency, other people don’t want to sit where you just had sex.” Annie said, clearly upset with Britta’s lack of consideration.</p><p>“I must agree with Annie here, that’s the bare minimum you should be expected to do.” Frankie chimed in, the first time she had spoken since her conversation with Jeff.</p><p>“Look, I’m sorry. I washed them yesterday, and I <em>promise</em> I’ll be better at cleaning. And me and that guy won’t be happening again. Ever. Probably.” Britta said, folding under the pressure from Annie, Frankie and Jeff. </p><p>“Can I have his number?” Chang suddenly asked.</p><p>“NO!” Britta said, and punched Chang in the arm.</p><p>“Just promise me you’ll be better at cleaning than what it sounds like you were alone. I don’t want to be the only one trying to keep the place clean.” Annie said more calmly.</p><p>“I <em>promise</em>. No more sex with strangers on the couch. Or in general. They suck.” Britta replied. </p><p>"Not what I asked." </p><p>"Fine, I will clean up after myself. Happy?" 

</p>
<p>“Yes.” Annie said, accepting that Britta had admitted fault. “But I’m washing those cushions again tomorrow.”</p><p>“Moving on.” The Dean suddenly interjected. “I’ve thought about what you said Jeffrey, and I promise that I will respect your wishes.” </p><p>“Thank you.” Jeff said. </p><p>The conflicts, despite two of them being resolved, left the room in a tense mood. As the lone outsider in all of them, Chang decided he would steer the conversation back to Annie. “So, Annie, were there any cute boys in Washington?” </p><p>“Ah!” Annie gasped mildly at the direct question, then composed herself. “Uh, none that I talked with. I had a co-worker ask me out though.” Annie said hesitantly, glancing slightly at Jeff as she said the last part.</p><p>“Ohhhhh, how did he do it?” Britta asked, intrigued by the revelation.</p><p>“Uhm, me, him and some other co-workers went out to a bar after work. He was being really nice, overly nice, buying me drinks and everything. And then suddenly, after the others had disappeared off to somewhere, he asked me if I wanted to go get dinner and watch a movie with him the next day.” Annie explained hesitantly. Jeff listened intently, as she hadn’t told her this part in the car. Britta likewise listened, but also glanced over at Jeff, trying to study his face.</p><p>“What did you say?” Britta asked as a follow-up.</p><p>“I said no.” Annie said with some pride in her voice. Instantly, Britta’s eyes shot back to Jeff. He sat there with a fairly blank face, interested in the conversation, but not showing too much interest.</p><p>“What? Why? Nice guy spoils you with drinks and asks to buy you dinner, and you said no? And you think <em>I'm</em> the weird one?” Britta asked, sounding surprised.</p><p>"Deflecting onto Annie won't make us forget about what you did to that poor couch." Jeff interjected.</p><p>Britta groaned in annoyance, and stuck out her tongue at Jeff.</p><p>“Look, he was very sweet and nice, but I didn’t know how long I would stay there. I told him that, but he didn’t take it very well.” Annie said, hinting to what she had told Jeff previously.</p><p>“I for one think Annie did the right thing. Dating co-workers is a recipe for disaster, and she shouldn’t let herself get tied down like that when she has all these possibilities in her career.” Frankie chimed in with.</p><p>“Well, I just didn’t feel like it made sense for me. Afterwards he wasn’t nice to me anymore, so I think I did the right thing anyway.” Annie said. </p><p>“Fair enough. Still, free dinner? Sign me up.” Britta said, laughing a bit.</p><p>“Britta Perry, known feminist, going out with a guy just because he pays for dinner. You six years ago would be horrified to see you confine to gender roles like that.” Jeff commented instantly, laughing a bit at her.</p><p>“Winger going in for the kill!” Chang exclaimed.</p><p>“Dating is rough, okay?” Britta said a sigh.</p><p>“Clearly not when you end up with guys treating the couch as a trash can.” Annie added. </p><p>“Edison shoots, and she scooooooooooores!” Chang said, emulating shooting a basketball as he did, clearly enjoying that people were dunking on Britta.</p><p>“I think we can all agree that Britta has gotten desperate.” Jeff said.</p><p>“Oh please, you slept with some kid’s mom to taunt him with it!” Britta bit back at him.</p><p>“That was years ago, and you suggested it. I don’t do that crap anymore.” Jeff retorted.</p><p>“So, you wouldn’t go sleeping with some random girl if she was hot and wanted you?” Britta asked in a poorly hidden leading question.</p><p>“No, I wouldn’t.” Jeff said matter-of-factly in response. </p><p>Annie looked on with curiosity at their little exchange, and couldn’t help but smile a tiny bit at how much he had changed. She felt bad that Britta was trying to use the past against him though, and decided to interfere. “Britta, at least he didn’t leave traces of all the disgusting things he did everywhere.” </p><p>“I told you that I’ll be better at cleaning!” Britta responded, feigning hurt at Annie’s comment.</p><p>“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Annie said back. </p><p>“Whatever.” Britta said, tired of the conversation. Pleased, Annie smiled slightly again, as Jeff mouthed a silent “thank you” to her across the table.</p><p>“So, Dean, how was your summer?” Annie asked.</p><p>The conversation returned to normal after that, going back to covering people’s summers. The Dean had stocked up on costumes, and started planning dances for the new year of school. Britta had been working to save up money, and planned to continue her psychology major. Chang had attempted to get more movie roles, but appeared to be blacklisted. He had also tried finding a boyfriend, without any luck. He explained that he instead had ended up masturbating, but was shut down once he tailed off into naming the various places he had done it in the past summer. Frankie had taken some time off for the summer to be with family, claiming that a year of organizing Greendale required her to recharge her batteries.</p><p>Slowly, people started leaving. Frankie left first, shooting Jeff a stern look as she left the table to get ready to leave. Everyone collectively told her goodbye, but Annie went to the door as Frankie was putting on her shoes and gave her a hug. Jeff looked on from a distance, trying to see if Frankie told Annie anything, but he couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Sometime later, the Dean left, followed shortly thereafter by Chang, who had grown tired of nothing happening. </p><p>That left Jeff, Annie and Britta as the last three remaining. A part of Jeff wanted to tell Britta to go to her room, to tell her to go sleep or something like that, but Britta was used to working nights, and as a result wasn’t tired anyway. Besides, he knew that even if he got her to agree, she would be listening in on their conversation. There was no way he was going to get a truly private conversation with Annie that night. They lingered there for a while, making casual conversation, until Jeff too felt it was time to go. He wasn’t going to get Britta away, and as the lone visitor left, it was him that sooner or later had to go.</p><p>“I should go, need to be up to get to the gym tomorrow morning. You should get some sleep too, Annie. Been a long day, after all.” Jeff said, as he got up from the chair.</p><p>“What, no…you don’t need to go, Jeff!” Britta said, wanting their little reunion to last a bit longer, not realizing that Jeff saw her as the unwanted third wheel right then and there.</p><p>“Jeff’s right, I do need some sleep.” Annie said in agreement and yawned to make her point, also sensing that Britta wasn’t going anywhere.</p><p>Jeff went to the door, and started putting on his shoes again. Meanwhile, Britta decided to tell Annie something. “You should thank him before he leaves. This party was his idea.” Britta said, nudging Annie to go to the door.</p><p>Silently, Annie nodded and went over to the door. </p><p>“Hey.” Annie said hesitantly.</p><p>“Hey.” Jeff returned.</p><p>“Britta said this was your idea, so I just wanted to say thank you for giving me such a nice surprise.” Annie said, giving him a fond smile.</p><p>“Of course, couldn’t let you come back without a celebration. Though truth be told, I did it so I could pick you up alone.” Jeff said, admitting his real motivations.</p><p>“Yeah, about that…. thank you for listening to me, and supporting me. It means a lot to me, truly.” Annie said, thankful for him being there for her.</p><p>“Of course, Annie. I always want to listen to you.” Jeff said like it was the most obvious thing ever. Annie decided to respond by pulling him in for a big hug, snuggling up against his chest. A bit later, they pulled away from each other, both looking at each other tenderly. It felt like a spark in his stomach, but he couldn’t act on it. Not with a spectator eyeing them from the living room. </p><p>“I should really go now. Talk tomorrow?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Yeah. Talk tomorrow.” Annie said, and watched as Jeff went out the door, closing it gently behind him. Annie walked back inside to the table where Britta was still sitting, typing on her phone as if she hadn’t watched that entire conversation.</p><p>“I think I’m going to go to bed now. Good night.” Annie said, yawning again.</p><p>Britta looked up from her phone, and looked at her. “Oh, okay. G'night.” </p><p>Annie walked into her room, rummaged through a bag to find her toiletries, then headed into the bathroom to get ready for bed. After brushing her teeth and cleaning off makeup, she headed back to her room, readied the bed, and went to go to sleep, her first night back in Greendale.</p><p>Then after a few minutes, she heard her phone vibrate by on the nightstand. </p><p><em>Forgot to say this before I left, so I’ll say it now: Goodnight Annie</em><br/>
-Jeff 11:53 PM</p><p>Smiling to herself, Annie decided to drop him a text in return.</p><p><em>Good night, Jeff &lt;3</em><br/>
-Cute Doe Eyes 11:54</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Not going to lie, this isn't the favorite chapter I've written in my life, but here it is anyway. Hopefully you enjoyed it!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff helps Annie collect her stuff from her storage locker, shenanigans ensue.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The following day, Jeff woke up with his mind in slight turmoil. The past day had been…. something else. He was happy, really happy to have Annie back. Yet the tension during the party, not between him and Annie, but between virtually everyone else, had put a dampener on things. What troubled him especially was his conversation with Frankie. He knew that Frankie was a career first sort of person, and one unlikely to focus on a relationship, so he understood where she was coming from. </p><p>But it was the notion that he would interfere with Annie’s career that he couldn’t understand. He had let her go to D.C. without attempting to stop her. He let her go experience new things, no matter how much he longed to have her close after finally admitting what he had felt for so long. And yet Frankie still seemed to view him as a threat to Annie’s career. Like he would ever try to stop Annie from doing anything. Frankie had clarified that she didn’t think he had bad intentions, but that didn’t make it any less frustrating. It just meant that she thought Jeff would do her wrong without even trying to, and that was no better. </p><p>Trying to shake the negative thoughts out of his head, Jeff turned his body over and reached for his phone on the nightstand. Before even unlocking it, he was reminded of her text. She had sent him a heart again, enough to make him fall asleep with a smile on his face the night before. He saw a small light flashing on his phone, indicating that he had a notification. Jeff unlocked the phone, and found a text from Annie.</p><p><em>Good morning! I know it’s quite early, but I was wondering if I could borrow you and/or your car today? I have some things in a storage lockup, and I would like to pick them up again. Room is a little empty without my things in it, feels odd.</em><br/>
-Cute Doe Eyes 8:31 AM</p><p>“Well that’s a good way to start the day.” Jeff muttered to himself, pleased to have her take his mind off his worries. Looking briefly at the clock, he decided to respond so she wouldn’t have to wait.</p><p><em>Good morning to you too. Sorry for the late reply, I woke up just now. I’m heading to the gym in an hour or so, but I can help you out afterwards? Isn’t Britta free today?</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger 9:51 AM</p><p>Jeff got out of bed, and headed into the bathroom to take a shower and apply his skin care. After drying up, he checked his phone, and saw that Annie had replied.</p><p><em>Her car is so tiny, would have to take several trips. I’ll wait for you, if that’s okay?</em><br/>
-Cute Doe Eyes 9:57 AM</p><p><em>Yeah of course. I should be ready around 3 PM. Pick you up then?</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger 10:02 AM</p><p><em>Sounds like a plan! Have fun at the gym! :D</em><br/>
-Cute Doe Eyes 10:03 AM</p><p><em>Will do. Chest day, know that’s the one you value the most. ;)</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger 10:04 AM</p><p><em>I don’t know what you’re talking about.</em><br/>
-Cute Doe Eyes 10:04 AM</p><p>Jeff chuckled slightly at her response to his teasing, and put down the phone again to get ready. He’d be damned if his skin wasn’t going to look fantastic now that she was back. After what would be an abnormally long time for skincare for any normal man, Jeff finally sat down to eat his low-carb breakfast. His fellow gym-goers had long noted that his dietary restrictions were causing him to perform worse in the gym, but Jeff had accepted that as a necessary evil to maintain his abs. Besides, he looked far better built than they did, no matter how much they lifted. </p><p>He ate fairly quickly, then sat down to scroll his phone for a bit before leaving, not wanting to head over there directly after eating. He tried that once before, and it didn’t end well. He had turned up to study with the others while looking like hell afterwards, prompting many questions, and equal amounts of laughter when he explained that he had killed himself by eating a big breakfast right before heading off to the gym to do hill-sprint intervals on the treadmill. He never admitted to ending up crouched over the gym toilet, but they probably knew regardless. Since then, he had made sure to at least let his body digest his breakfast for a little bit before heading to the gym. </p><p>Half an hour later, he was off. It turned out be an unusually good session, as he felt inspired to push himself to the max. It was probably not especially rational, as he would likely need to do a lot of carrying later, but he felt himself pushing to lift heavier and more reps than usual simply to look his best. After one and a half hour, he finally drove home and headed back to the shower. After cleaning up and re-applying his moisturizer, Jeff decided to take advantage of having just returned from the gym. He threw on a tight-fitting dark sweater and a nice pair of jeans, but not too nice given the work he was going to do.  Afterwards, he quickly walked to the kitchen and took out a box of chicken salad from the fridge that he had prepared a few days prior, and ate in a hurry to make sure he wouldn’t be late. Normally, he was perfectly fine with arriving fashionably late, but he had promised Annie, and the last thing we wanted was to make her apply the Disney-eyes to make him feel bad. </p><p>In a bit of a hurry, Jeff drove off to apartment 303. Luckily it wasn’t far, and he was able to make it with five minutes to spare. Jeff took a deep breath to settle himself, then exited the car and headed up the stairs, making sure to walk calmly to keep his breath. He reached the door, and then knocked lightly on the door, going for three knocks. He braced himself for the sight of Annie. A few seconds later, the door opened, and he saw…</p><p>“Brittaaaa!” Jeff exclaimed with some fake enthusiasm, definitely not expecting to see someone else.</p><p>“Let me guess….” Britta responded. “Oh, I got it! You’re here to see Annie, aren’t you?” Britta exclaimed, feigning ignorance.</p><p>“Yes Britta, I’m here to help Annie pick up her stuff.” Jeff confirmed, not bothered to play those games right then and there.</p><p>“Annie! The moving company is here!” Britta called out loudly, making sure that Annie heard her.</p><p>“Give me a minute!” Annie responded equally loud from the bathroom.</p><p>“I guess you can just wait inside until she’s ready.” Britta told Jeff, and stepped inside herself. Jeff followed her inside, and closed the door. Jeff stood by the door and waited, as he couldn’t be bothered to take off his shoes. Britta sat herself back down on the couch and resumed scrolling Netflix for something to watch. Likely she would consider watching some documentary, but end up actually watching some comedy, Jeff mused to himself. He didn’t know how long Annie would be, so he took out his phone to check it for the first time in a few hours. A few minutes later, Annie came strolling out of the bathroom, wearing black jeans, a white top and one of her classic purple cardigans. She smiled widely at him once she noticed him standing there, a smile which Jeff returned with his own slight smile.</p><p>“Hey.” Jeff said casually, and he could feel her eyes drifting along his upper body and arms. </p><p>“Hi.” Annie returned with a slightly bashful look in her eyes.</p><p>“You ready to go?” Jeff asked, seeing as she looked like she was both dressed and had done her makeup. </p><p>“Yeah, let me just get my phone, and then we can leave.” Annie said, and then walked off into her room, returning seconds later with her purse, in which Jeff assumed she had her phone. Annie put on her shoes, and then the two left the apartment.</p><p>On their way down, Jeff decided to ask something he had been wonder since that morning. “So, how much is there is that storage?” </p><p>“Oh, not much. Just the things I couldn’t fit into the luggage I took with me to D.C. I didn’t want to overpack, given all the uncertainty.” Annie explained.</p><p>“Any furniture?” Jeff asked, thinking that his car wasn’t exactly suited for furniture transport.</p><p>“No, I left the bed and desk in the apartment, and sold some other things. It’s mostly just….stuff. Non-essentials, but stuff I’d like to have to make my room seem less empty and lifeless.” Annie explained, easing Jeff’s fears slightly, despite the vagueness of her description.</p><p>“Speaking of the bed, how was your first night back?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“It was decent. The bed here is more comfortable than the one I had in D.C., but I missed my own pillow and comforter. Had to borrow from Britta.” Annie replied.</p><p>“I assume we’re picking up yours now?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“That is correct.” Annie confirmed, as they reached the car and got inside.</p><p>“Well, let’s get going then. Can’t have you sleeping poorly.” Jeff said, and reversed out to parking spot, then drove out of there as Annie began explaining where in town her storage locker was. They chatted idly on the ten-minute trip there, talking about what they had done earlier in the day. Annie revealed that she hadn’t been able to do much given her lack of things, and that places were closed on Sundays. </p><p>“So, we ended up just watching Bojack Horseman.” Annie said, as they arrived at the storage lockup. </p><p>“I think we’re here.” Jeff said, interrupting her recollection of how she had wasted away her day with Britta until he arrived.</p><p>“Yeah, this is the place.” Annie confirmed, and opened the car door and stepped out, leaving her purse inside the car. Jeff considered saying something about her needing the phone when she didn’t use it once on the way there, and then left it in the car, but opted against it. “It’s inside, down a hallway and to the left. Follow me.” Annie said, pointing to the main entrance.</p><p>“After you.” Jeff said, holding his hands out to indicate that he’d follow.</p><p>Annie walked inside and past the reception with Jeff in tow, heading straight for the place she had indicated. On the short walk there, Jeff decided to ask about something that had puzzled him a little.</p><p>“They have storage units outside where we could have parked right by the door, why didn’t you get one of those?” He asked, feeling like it was a fair thing to ask about.</p><p>“I wanted my things to be inside. If it’s just a metal door separating it from the outside, it would be way more susceptible to weather and things like that.” Annie explained, and Jeff could see her point, despite his wish that he would need to carry things for a shorter distance. </p><p>“Makes sense.” He simply responded.</p><p>“Besides, what are all those push-ups and trips to the gym for if you can’t even carry some boxes?” Annie said in a teasing tone.</p><p>“Who said I can't?. Just don’t necessarily <em>want</em> to carry them that far.” Jeff said, and he could swear she just made another reference he knew. </p><p>“Too late to back out now Jeff.” Annie said as she reached a door, stopping in front of it.</p><p>“It’s never too late.” Jeff teased back.</p><p>“You wouldn’t dare.” Annie said, mentally preparing herself to use her secret weapon if needed.</p><p>“You’re right. I can’t say no to you. Never could.” Jeff agreed with a slight chuckle, and Annie felt mildly relieved. She knew he was most likely just messing with her, but she knew he hated helping out with these things normally. “I assume this is it, since you stopped?” He then asked.</p><p>“Yup. Here are all the things I didn’t bring with me to D.C., sell or give away.” Annie confirmed. “Promise me you won’t laugh.” Annie said, and bent down to insert her key into the padlock.</p><p>“I can make no such promises.” Jeff responded. Annie sighed, but opened the door regardless.</p><p>Jeff had seen enough episodes of Storage Wars to have some idea about what to expect when opening someone's storage unit. He expected to see a cramped room, filled with lots of things, stuff practically pouring out the door as it was opened. Yet once it was opened up, he realized that he probably hadn’t thought properly through his assumptions, and had forgotten who he was dealing with. This was Annie Edison, not some idiot that stuffed lots of random things into a storage locker and then forgot it existed or forgot to keep up with payment for it. </p><p>This storage locker undoubtably belonged to Annie Edison, as much was evident once he laid his eyes on it. It was neat and orderly. She had put her things into solid cardboard boxes written on with a black marker, and neatly stacked them up against the wall. To the left side, there were two big black trash bags, both of which were neatly tied at the top, and a rolled-up carpet leaning against them.</p><p>“So, these are my things.” Annie said, more out of courtesy than necessity.</p><p>“It’s very…neat.” Jeff commented.</p><p>“Well, you know me. Besides, makes it easier to get it out again.” Annie responded in turn, knowing her own habits.</p><p>“Good point.” Jeff said, and walked inside to peer closer at the boxes. “School books? You kept those?” He said with narrowed eyes as he read what it said on a box Annie had placed at the very bottom.</p><p>“Yeah, I kept them in case I might want to refresh on some things at some point. I just didn’t see the point in bringing them with me. You don’t have yours?” Annie responded, thinking that keeping them was perfectly normal.</p><p>“I sold most of them. Doubt I will ever touch the few I have left ever again.” Jeff said, personally feeling like recouping as much of his money as possible was the logical thing to do.</p><p>“Well, unlike you I might actually read them.” Annie said defiantly in return.</p><p>“Okay, but are you taking them with you to the apartment?” Jeff asked, looking back at her.</p><p>“No, I don’t have a bookshelf anymore, so they can stay here.” Annie said, shaking her head. “Anyway, we should begin at the top. Here, take this one to the car, I’ll be right out.” She said, and handed him a fairly lightweight box. </p><p>Jeff accepted the box shoved into his arms, but got curious and turned it around. “Stuffed animals?” Jeff asked, sounding quite surprised. </p><p>“Ah!” Annie gasped; a bit taken aback by Jeff actually looking at the box she very purposefully handed him with the writing away from him. Quickly, she composed herself again. “Yes Jeff, I have some stuffed animals. Some are from when I was a kid, and I took them with me when I moved away from my mom.” </p><p>“Still, that doesn’t explain why you need them now, or why you have so many of them. Why can’t they just stay here with the books if you’re keeping the locker regardless?” Jeff asked, not really understanding her reasoning.</p><p>“Look, Jeff. They mean a lot to me. When I moved away from home, and into that terrible apartment, it was nice to have that sense of comfort. To make my own bubble away from the outside world. I don’t need them to comfort me anymore, but I like having them there. Makes my room seem a bit less boring, and full of life and wonder.” Annie explained, hoping she could save herself from eternal mocking.</p><p>Jeff looked at her for a second, as if thinking of what to say to that. Finally, he responded. “I guess I can understand that. Moving out like that, to that awful apartment can’t have been easy. I saw how relieved you were after moving out from there, so even though I wasn’t really there for you, I think I get it. Also, it’s okay to cling onto things. I’m sorry if I upset you, I was just a bit surprised by it. I’ll take the box out to the car now.”</p><p>Annie smiled at him with that closed mouth, fond smile of hers. “Thanks.” She said, before Jeff walked off with her box. Annie picked up a box of her own, and walked out herself. She found Jeff at the trunk of his car, with the box placed on the ground. Jeff noticed her approaching, and opened up the trunk. “Had to unlock the car.” He said, feeling like he should explain how her box had ended up on the ground. Wordlessly, she nodded, and walked over to the trunk, placing her box labelled Lamps inside, tucking it into the back of the trunk. Jeff picked the other box back up, and tucked it alongside the one Annie had placed.</p><p>They walked back inside together, picked up a box each, and as they passed the reception on the way back in again, Annie decided to ask about something that had been bothering her. “Jeff, last night when you were in the kitchen with Frankie, were you arguing?” She asked, a bit tentatively.</p><p>Jeff stopped in his tracks. He didn’t really know what to say. It wasn’t something he wanted to discuss with anyone, let alone Annie. Yet he had also promised her to be honest. “Yes, we were.” He confirmed hesitantly.</p><p>“Were you arguing about me?” Annie asked him directly, and Jeff assumed she already knew the answer. He knew what he was about to say would likely complicate things between him and Annie, and between Annie and Frankie, but he had no other choice but to speak. He never signed any confidentiality agreement with Frankie, and Annie deserved the truth. “Yes, we were arguing about you.” He confirmed with a nod.</p><p>“Can I ask about what was said?” Annie asked, and Jeff figured she was asking about the part where they had both lowered their voices to avoid being heard.</p><p>Jeff took a deep breath, then began explaining what had happened in a calm manner. “She approached me in the kitchen, asking me why I had been so quiet. I explained to her that I just didn’t have much to add, since you and I spoke on the way there. Then she asked me why I was drinking water, insinuating that she thought I’d purposefully drink alcohol despite me driving so I’d have an excuse to stay over. Her saying that made me mad, and then it kind of escalated.” Jeff said.</p><p>“Yes, I heard that part. But after that, you both went quiet. I’d like to know what was said, Jeff.” Annie said, her tone more demanding.</p><p>“Well, I denied her idea that I was trying to get a reason to stay over for the night. But then she said she had seen how I was looking at you, like I was longing to get you alone, without the rest there. She started going on about my feelings, and how I should look past them for your sake, for your career. I’m paraphrasing here, but she basically called me a washed-up old guy with poor judgement, and said that I should stay away from you. After she said that, I just walked off.” Jeff explained as best he could from his memory of the situation.</p><p>“Okay. Thank you, for telling me.” Annie said, giving him a sad look.</p><p>“Of course, Annie. I promised you that I would be more open and honest. I didn’t want to fight with Frankie, I still don’t. But hearing those words, I can’t deny that it stings.” Jeff told her honestly.</p><p>“Jeff, you are none of those things. I need to talk with Frankie.” Annie said, huffing in frustration after the last part.</p><p>“Annie, you don’t need to do that.” Jeff said, trying to keep her out of it.</p><p>“I do. She’s entitled to her opinion, but that doesn’t give her the right to interfere in my life because she doesn’t agree. If she’s worried about me, she should talk to me, not go right past me because she doesn’t think I can make sensible decisions about you.” Annie said, her tone stern and serious.</p><p>“Okay, fine. I just….I’m sorry for getting in between the two of you. I know you value her opinion a lot.” Jeff said, feeling bad about it all.</p><p>“It’s not your fault, Jeff. And I mean that. But let’s not dwell on that, we should get the rest of my things out before they close for the day.” Annie said. </p><p>“Yeah, let’s.” Jeff agreed, and they walked back to Annie’s locker. Back in the locker, Jeff decided to ask about the two mysterious trash bags he had seen earlier. </p><p>“Annie, what are in those two bags?” He asked in curiosity. </p><p>“Oh, one of them are my comforters and sleeping pillows, the other one has decorative pillows and a blanket in it.” Annie explained.</p><p>“You have a massive bag full of decorative pillows?” Jeff asked, sounding incredulous. </p><p>“Yeah?” Annie said in return, not thinking it was a big deal.</p><p>“Do you even have space for all of them?” He asked, not quite sure how she could logically fit all of them onto her bed.</p><p>“Yeah, of course. I have most of them in my room, but I also used to have some on the couch. Though I might not keep them out there anymore, given what Britta seems to do on that couch.” Annie said, shuddering slightly at the thought.</p><p>“Sometimes I regret not peeking into your room to see what it looked like decorated. Must be so cramped in there with all your stuff.” Jeff said, stifling a slight laugh as he said it.</p><p>“You’d be surprised Jeff. I have a system.” Annie said defiantly in return.</p><p>“Of course you do.” Jeff said, shaking his as he laughed a bit. </p><p>“At least my room looks like a place where someone lives, not like some empty bachelor pad you acquired without buying decorations to it.” Annie bit back.</p><p>“Hey, my apartment is perfectly well furnished.” Jeff responded instantly, her comparison hitting a bit too close to home.</p><p>“Your place is boring, Jeff. It could need some more life.” Annie said matter-of-factly. </p><p>“Fine, I admit defeat.” Jeff said, holding his hands up.</p><p>“You know, if you wanted one of the pillows, all you had to do was ask.” Annie said, back to her teasing ways.</p><p>“You’re incredible.” Jeff said, shaking his head at her comment.</p><p>“I know.” Annie said and picked up one of the bags before walking off, ignoring his sarcasm. Jeff shook his head with a smile and picked up a cardboard box himself. She really was incredible. </p><p>They managed to get the rest of her stuff into the car within 15 minutes, despite Jeff feeling increasingly sore from the excessive amounts of heavy lifting he had done. Somehow, they had managed to get everything Annie wanted to take with her into the car, despite the fairly small trunk in Jeff’s car. He had several boxes placed in his back seat, the two trash bags tucked behind the seat, and a rolled-up carpet over the boxes. </p><p>They drove back to the apartment with the overly filled car, the short trip highlighted by Annie singing along to Uptown Funk, which was playing on the radio. They got back to the apartment, both dreading the final challenge of the day – carrying everything up the stairs. </p><p>“Ugh, I really don’t want to carry everything up there.” Jeff groaned at the thought, hitting his head lightly against the top of the steering wheel.</p><p>“I know, I don’t want to either. But the sooner we get it done, the sooner we can relax.” Annie said, trying to be encouraging.</p><p>“My arms are killing me, Annie.” Jeff complained.</p><p>“Well, that’s a sign of your muscles working, which should help them grow. Try to look at it positively. I’ll make it up to you later, I promise.” Annie said, looking on the bright side of things.</p><p>“Fine, but that better be good.” Jeff groaned, then got out of the car. Annie picked up her purse, put it over her shoulder, and went back to the trunk to pick up a light box. Picking up a heavier box, Jeff shut the trunk and followed her up. Jeff reached the door just as Annie unlocked it, and waited for her to pick up her box before stepping inside. </p><p>“Oh, look who’s back! It’s the moving company!” Britta called from the comfort of the couch.</p><p>“Look who’s been being nothing while we’re doing all the work.” Jeff called back.</p><p>“I offered my car!” Britta shouted back as Jeff stepped into Annie’s room.</p><p>“Where do you want them?” Jeff quietly asked Annie, intending to respond to Britta once he got back out again.</p><p>“Just put them along the wall, it’ll be a mess after I unpack anyway.” Annie said with a shrug.</p><p>“Thought you had a system?” Jeff said with a teasing tone.</p><p>“I do, but I need to actually take the things out of the boxes to put them in a system. Why am I even telling you this? You already know this; you’re just teasing me.” Annie said, realizing quickly that she had swallowed the bait whole.</p><p>Jeff simply backed out of the room with his hands in mock surrender, a cocky grin plastered all over his face. Once he was out of the room, he peered over to the couch. “You’re welcome to help despite us saving the mileage from your car, you know.” He suggested to Britta, tone laced with sarcasm.</p><p>Britta sat up from her previous position of being splayed out on her back on the couch, and turned towards him. “Hmmmm.” She said as she scratched her chin and pretending to be thinking. Then stopped, gave her answer. “Nah, I’m good.” </p><p>“All this garbage food and lack of activity will catch up to you some day, Britta.” Jeff called out to her as he walked out of the apartment, trailing after Annie who was a few steps ahead. They continued carrying stuff up, eventually getting Britta to help carry one box up, before everything was finally placed in Annie’s room.</p><p>“Well, I guess we’re done.” Jeff said, and exhaled properly in relief.</p><p>“You guys are, at least. I still need to unpack all of this.” Annie said with a sigh. </p><p>“Well, I doubt I can be of much help with that, so I will leave you to it.” Jeff said, realizing that he likely wouldn’t be of much help when Annie would be organizing her room.</p><p>“I guess not. Well, thanks for the help today! Really grateful that you could help me out, we even managed to get everything here in one trip!” Annie said, pleased with the way the day had gone.</p><p>“Of course, Annie. Happy I could help.” Jeff responded. “I should get going now.” </p><p>“Bye Jeff.” Annie said.</p><p>“Bye Annie, talk soon.” Jeff said, then turned to walk out of her room.</p><p>“Wait!” Annie called out to him, and stood up from the box she was crouched alongside. She closed the distance between them fast, as Jeff had barely reached her door. He turned to face her, curious to see what she would say or do. Curious, he smiled at her. Annie stood close to him, then tiptoed up and kissed him on his cheek. “As a thank you for the help.” She added with a shy smile.</p><p>Jeff stood there; mouth slightly open, not even sure what to say. “My pleasure. Good night, Annie.” He said with a charming smile once he composed himself, then walked out to his car with a massive grin on his face.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's the start of Annie's first full week back in Greendale, and with her room finally finished, Annie starts to resume normal life again. But what exactly does normal life involve when she neither has work or school to attend to?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a few days since she had last seen Jeff. They parted that Sunday afternoon, leaving Annie to unpack for herself as she made her own room feel like it belonged to her again. Within a few hours, her boxes were unpacked, and the room undoubtably looked like it was hers again. Upon seeing it, Britta exclaimed something about “Tinker Bell’s vagina”, which Annie scoffed at, but decided to pay no mind. Besides, she knew that reference. If there was anything Abed had been able to get both her and Troy to safely watch without protest, it was sitcoms, so of course she knew that one. The two ate dinner together later that night, and crashed in front of the tv to relax. </p><p>The following day, Annie knew that she had to get back to normalcy. She was allowed to borrow Britta’s car during the morning and early afternoon, and as a result went off shopping. Eating Britta’s food would get old fast, so she had to get something of her own. While she was at it, she brought with her all the empty cardboard boxes, which she barely managed to fit into the small car. She brought them all back to her locker to save the trouble of getting new ones later on, then set off for the local megastore to buy her groceries. Working off a list, she bought a bunch of different foods, most of which were healthy. She had never been a particularly unhealthy person, but after she moved to D.C., she had attempted to step up her game, and she was determined to keep that up.</p><p>She drove back to the apartment in a good mood, and deposited the new food in the fridge. The fridge was normally big enough to suit three people, yet Britta had things on every shelf. Annie decided to rearrange a few things so she would have two shelves for herself, and placed her things there, while also putting a bit in the freezer for later use. If it was one thing Annie had learned after moving away from home, it was the usefulness of buying things on sale and freezing it down for later. The amounts you could save were astounding once you looked closer at it. Afterwards, she settled down to watch some tv with Britta. </p><p>Once Britta left for work, Annie decided it was time to deal with the inevitable herself – she had to get a job. She brought up various job searching sites, and found roles even vaguely related to her education to be slim pickings. There didn’t seem to be anything available right then and there, but instead of getting deflated, she decided she would work on her resumé. It wasn’t full of relevant work experience, but her internship with the FBI was certainly worth adding, along with listing her supervisor there as a reference. It certainly looked better than various jobs as a babysitter, she thought to herself.</p><p>The following day, Britta was sound asleep when Annie woke up, after returning home late from work. Annie herself woke up feeling restless. She had no idea what to do with her day. For as long as she could remember, she would either have school or work to attend to or prepare for. But now she had neither. She had to find some way to kill the spare time, because who knew when she would be back in work. She had never really gone to one before, having only jogged now and then to keep in shape, but Annie figured that joining a gym would be a decent way to pass the time. She decided to ask the one person she knew who might know.</p><p><em>Hey, I was thinking about joining a gym, and I figured you would know a few. Do you have any recommendations about which one I could join? Preferably not too far from the apartment.</em><br/>
-Annie Edison 11:31 AM</p><p>Figuring she wouldn’t get a response right away – Jeff was likely at the gym himself, Annie decided she would continue watching tv. After a few episodes, she finally got a reply.</p><p><em>There’s one like two-three blocks away from you, but I’m not familiar with it. If you can spare the extra five minutes of travel, there’s one closer to where I live that is really nice. It’s the one I go to. Not the cheapest, but it’s got everything you could possibly need, and there’s no shady people around there.</em><br/>
-Jeff 12:43 PM</p><p>Along with the text, Jeff sent the name and geotag on Google Maps.</p><p><em>I’ll check it out. Thanks!</em><br/>
-Annie Edison 12:44 PM</p><p>Intrigued by the answer, she checked Google Maps, and found that she could get there directly with the bus. There was one heading there in just over five minutes, so Annie jumped up from the couch, put on her jacket and shoes, and ran off to the bus stop. After a ten-minute ride, she got off and walked the two minutes over to the gym, which looked like it had got a new sign since they took the picture on google. </p><p>Annie headed inside, and approached the reception, asking if she could get a tour of the gym. She trusted Jeff’s opinion, but she still wanted to do her due diligence before signing anything. She got a quick tour, and it confirmed Jeff’s info for her. It was well equipped, clean, and with fully functional air conditioning. Pretty much everything she needed, and it wasn’t unreasonably far away either given the bus connection. Annie headed back to the reception with the employee that had given her the quick tour, intent on signing up. She realized that Jeff was right when he said it wasn’t the cheapest, but she knew she could afford it given the money she was saving on her cheap rent. She signed up for a deal with no time constraint, given the uncertainty for how long she would stay, and headed back home, content that she had done something useful for the day. Maybe tomorrow she’d stop by with clothes better suited to work out.</p><p>After returning back home from the gym, Annie brought up her laptop and sat herself down by her bedroom desk. Armed with an updated CV, she planned to apply for every relevant position to her education and experience from the FBI that she could find. She applied to every police department she could remember, the FBI department in Denver despite them not currently needing anyone as far as she knew, and various out of state places. She didn’t feel a great urge to move out of state unless absolutely necessary, but given how hard it could be to get a job sometimes, she felt she had to apply wherever she could, and then evaluate it if she actually got an offer. Each and every one was a long shot regardless, given that they weren’t actively searching for forensics people. </p><p>By the time she was done, it was getting late, and she was getting tired. Annie went into the bathroom, took a quick shower, brushed her teeth, and then sauntered back to her bedroom in her pyjamas. Britta looked at her confused, not used to people heading to bed at 9:45 PM given her own sleeping pattern.</p><p>“Good night Britta.” Annie said, then closed the door to her room. She hoped Britta would be nice and lower the volume of the tv, at the very least.</p><p>“Night Annie.” She heard a muffled voice say, her closed door and distance to the living room likely the culprit behind the muffled sound. Thankfully, Britta lowered the volume a bit. Before finally trying to sleep, Annie picked up her phone, realizing she hadn’t gotten back to Jeff about the gym. </p><p><em>Hey, just wanted to say that I signed up at the gym you mentioned. Checked it out, and it seemed nice. Thanks for the tip! :D</em><br/>
-Annie Edison 9:37 PM</p><p><em>Glad I could help. I expect to see you there sometime, can’t let your membership go to waste you know</em><br/>
-Jeff 9:38 PM</p><p>Annie scoffed at that. Like she’d willingly waste her own money.</p><p><em>Of course. I expect to see you there too, since you claim to be there so often.</em><br/>
-Annie Edison 9:38 PM</p><p><em>I practically live there lol</em><br/>
-Jeff 9:39 PM</p><p><em>It did seem like your kind of place to live, very bland, few colors</em><br/>
-Annie Edison 9:40 PM</p><p><em>Wow, uncalled for</em><br/>
-Jeff 9:40 PM</p><p><em>Hehe. Anyway, I’m going to bed now. Good night Jeff &lt;3</em><br/>
-Annie 9:41 PM</p><p>Annie didn’t intend to send more messages for the night, yet held onto the phone as she laid there on her back, phone in hand. She just waited for the good night message Jeff would inevitably send in return, then she’d go to bed.</p><p><em>You’re going to bed awfully early. Everything okay?</em><br/>
-Jeff 9:42 PM</p><p><em>Yeah, I’m just tired. Been applying for jobs for hours on end. There are only so many different ways I can describe myself as a person before running out of ways to phrase it.</em><br/>
-Annie 9:43 PM</p><p><em>Any specific places?</em><br/>
-Jeff 9:44 PM</p><p><em>All over, really. I can tell you all of them tomorrow. Talk then?</em><br/>
-Annie Edison 9:45 PM</p><p><em>Sure thing. Good night, Annie :)</em><br/>
-Jeff 9:46 PM</p><p><em>Good night &lt;3 </em><br/>
-Annie Edison 9:47 PM</p><p>The next day, Annie woke up determined to face the world. The slight doubt of the previous day was gone, now she had a specific goal in mind. She wandered out of her bedroom, into the bathroom, and freshened up a bit, before changing into some clothes for the day and bringing her pyjamas back to her room. Britta was predictably not up, but Annie made herself some bacon and eggs, hoping the noise wouldn’t wake her. </p><p>Annie sat down to eat, but decided to check her phone. It was pretty early, so she wasn’t surprised about the lack of new messages. That was one of the cons of being an early riser, she had found out. Regardless, she decided she’d send some other people some texts, starting with Jeff.</p><p><em>Good morning! Figured I’d tell you that you can call me whenever you have time, and I’ll tell you where I applied :D (know you’re busy preparing for the start of school next week, and going to the gym)</em><br/>
-Annie Edison 8:22 AM</p><p>With that sorted, Annie moved on to the next part of her agenda, one of the things she had been putting off for a few days, but had to deal with. She had to talk with Frankie.</p><p><em>Hi, Annie here. Need to talk with you, are you available later today?</em><br/>
-Annie Edison 8:24 AM</p><p>Pleased to have both of those things done, Annie started eating before the food would go cold. Remembering how Jeff had been that one time he ate too much and didn’t wait before heading to the gym, Annie decided to relax a for a little bit before she went. The buses went by every half hour, so she’d be fine missing the next one. In the meantime, she sat down on her pc to check if she by some miracle had gotten a response to one of the applications. Naturally, she hadn’t, but it was worth checking. She then went to check all of her social media, but found it to be fairly dead. Another con of waking up early, she sadly thought to herself. When the time got closer, she returned to her room and changed into a pair of tights, sports bra and a tank-top she had worn rarely, and threw some scarcely worn indoors training shoes and a bottle into a bag before she headed off to the gym.</p><p>Her first time at the gym went surprisingly well. She ran a little, then used whatever little knowledge she had to train her whole body, doing squats, and using the dumbbells to do various pressing exercises she had seen before. After about an hour, she left for home, and took the bus home while still smelling like sweat. She’d be damned before she showered with a bunch of random people. On the bus ride home, she saw that she had gotten replies from both Jeff and Frankie. She opted to check the one from Jeff first, wanting something positive.</p><p><em>Good morning! I’m heading to the gym in a bit, I’ll call you after I get back if that’s okay?</em><br/>
-Jeff 10:16 AM</p><p>Annie checked the clock on her phone. 10:34 AM. “Damn it.” She muttered to herself, frustrated to have missed him when he likely arrived right after she left. </p><p><em>On my way home from there now, actually. I should be free whenever.</em><br/>
-Annie 10:35 AM</p><p>Annie felt her phone buzz with a reply half a minute later.</p><p><em>That sucks, we just missed each other then. I just parked the car there a moment ago.</em><br/>
-Jeff 10:35 AM</p><p><em>:(</em><br/>
-Annie 10:36 AM</p><p>Annie then checked Frankie’s text, hoping she was free. The sooner she could deal with it now that she had found the courage to do it, the better.</p><p><em>Hi Annie. I’m home today, so you can stop by if you want to, or you can call me at whatever time suits you.</em><br/>
-Frankie 9:44 AM</p><p><em>I’ll come by in a few hours.</em><br/>
-Annie Edison 10:38 AM</p><p>A few minutes later, Annie got off the bus and headed back home. The stairs up to the apartment felt especially heavy, and Annie was beginning to understand why Jeff despised training legs. Nevertheless, she made it up, and walked back inside to find the apartment looking the exact same as when she left. Right away, Annie grabbed a fresh pair of clothes, and headed to the shower. She cleaned herself up, got dressed, and headed to the kitchen to grab some lunch. It felt odd to her to eat so soon after the first time, but at the same time she had to admit that working out in the morning had woken her up a bit. </p><p>As soon as she had eaten, she was out the door again. Walking down the stairs, she realized that scheduling to go to Frankie’s place the same day as her first time at the gym in, well, ever was a big mistake. Feeling like she was walking like a fool, she dragged herself to the bus stop and took the bus heading towards Frankie’s place. It was a suburban area in the opposite side of town from where she had been earlier, not a neighbourhood she was familiar with. Yet she knew Frankie lived here, as she had given Annie the address half a year prior in case she ever needed to talk. As it turns out, this was the day Annie finally took her up on that offer, but not for the reasons she ever expected herself.</p><p>Annie walked up to the door, and knocked lightly on the door. She heard someone move inside, and soon Frankie opened the door.</p><p>“Annie, how good to see you!” Frankie exclaimed, happy that Annie had stopped by. </p><p>Annie walked right inside, ignoring formalities, leaving Frankie looking at her confused. </p><p>“I’m here to talk about Jeff.” Annie said in a direct manner. She wasn’t in the mood to dance around the subject, she was there for one reason, and one reason only.</p><p>“I had a feeling that might be why. Come, why don’t we take a seat.” Frankie said, and gestured inside to her living room. Annie nodded and walked inside, feeling like her legs would hate her if she declined.</p><p>Annie sat down on the couch, while Frankie sat down in a chair, facing Annie’s left side. “I assume Jeff told you what happened?” Frankie asked as soon as they were both seated.</p><p>“Yes and no. I heard the two of you having an argument in the kitchen on Saturday night. I asked Jeff about it the day after, and he explained what happened.” Annie replied.</p><p>“Well, let me tell you my side of the story then. I approached him in the kitchen because I had seen those looks he gave you while we sat around the table, and due to the unusual request of him picking you up alone. I asked him why he had been so quiet, which he deflected by claiming the two of you had already spoken.” Frankie began explaining</p><p>“We had spoken. We spoke during the summer, and on the way back from the airport. He knew most of the stories already.” Annie interrupted her to say. “But I’m more interested in what you said after that. Did you claim that you thought he would be drinking alcohol to stay over?”</p><p>“I did, yes. That was presumptuous of me, and I do regret saying it.” Frankie said, confirming what Jeff had told Annie.</p><p>“Frankie, that’s not just presumptuous, that’s straight up mean and disrespectful.” Annie said in a scathing tone.</p><p>“Annie, he’s a drunk. You know he is. It’s what he does more than anything.” Frankie said, trying to explain her action.</p><p>“I know he has issues with drinking, but you just don’t say things like that! You will apologize to him! But continue, I want to hear the rest.” Annie said, her tone harsh and demanding.</p><p>“Fine. I proceeded to ask him if he wanted to talk with you alone, which he didn’t deny, but he got mad at my previous assumption and raised his voice.” Frankie said.</p><p>“Yes, I heard that part.” Annie confirmed. “Continue.” She demanded.</p><p>“I told him I know he’s in love with you, but I asked him to ignore his feelings instead of tying you down.” Frankie said.</p><p>“You sure you didn’t say anything else?” Annie asked, knowing that Frankie was masking her words.</p><p>Frankie sighed, then spoke. “I explained to him that an older guy with a failed career like him shouldn’t let such a bright, talented young woman like you abandon her own career because of him. I proceeded to tell him that I heard about his incident with a student at the Vatican, which I assumed that Craig let him get away with unpunished.” Frankie added, and took a deep breath. “After I said that, he started to explain that the incident at the bar was fabricated, and that he had no intentions of interfering with your career. I told him I didn’t doubt his intentions, after which he walked off back to the living room.” </p><p>“Is that all?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Yes, that would be all.” Frankie confirmed.</p><p>“Okay, first of all. Britta was there, so even if you don’t trust Jeff, Britta wouldn’t lie to cover for him. Secondly, you practically told him that he’s a washed-up old failure with nowhere to go. That could not be further from the truth. Yes, he has made mistakes, and he has paid for them, but as have I. I was a pill addict, Frankie. I screwed up, yet I rebuilt my life and became better off for it. But lastly, how dare you? How dare you try to interfere with my life like that?” Annie said angrily, her eyes staring daggers at Frankie.</p><p>“Annie, I’m simply trying to help further your career. If you let yourself be tied down to him, then you’re stuck here. He’s not getting a teaching job anywhere else, and he’s not licenced as a lawyer elsewhere. Don’t let your own ambitions be stopped because of him.” Frankie pleaded, trying to make Annie see reason.</p><p>“If he wants to, he can pass the bar elsewhere. He’s not tied down here, so this idea that he will hinder my career is just baseless crap.” Annie said is clear disagreement.</p><p>“Even then, Annie. He’s a 40-year-old man who has spent most of his life screwing up. You’re young, talented and attractive. You’ll find someone far better than him. It’s not logical for you too be with Jeff, Annie. Try to think rationally about this, and you’ll realize that.” Frankie argued, trying to appeal to Annie’s sensible side.</p><p>“So what? I’m not some kid that he’s taking advantage of. I don’t care what his age is. I don’t want better, Frankie. I want him. Love doesn’t need to be logical or rational, or make any sense. It just exists. And yes, I’m in love with him. I have been for years now, and it's clearly not going away. <em>Finally</em>, I feel like things are setting in place for us to figure that out, together. And I won’t let you interfere with that. The fact that you went behind my back to try to stop him rather than just talk with me about it makes this even more infuriating. You can’t treat me like I’m some kid that you need to make decisions for. I value your opinion, I do, but you need to let me make my own decisions.” Annie said, going off on a frustrated speech that had been brewing inside of her ever since she spoke with Jeff on Sunday. </p><p>Suddenly, Annie heard her phone vibrate in her purse. She took it up and looked at it, and saw that it was Jeff calling her. Annie declined the call, then quickly brought up her messages to quickly text Jeff why, so he wouldn’t be confused. </p><p><em>Talking with Frankie rn. Call you back after.</em><br/>
-Annie Edison 12:42 PM</p><p>Once Annie put away her phone again and it looked like her attention was back on her, Frankie spoke. “Annie, I’m sorry for going in over your head. I should have spoken with you directly. But I still don’t think you and Jeff should be together, despite how strong those feelings are.” Frankie said, apologizing without truly backing down.</p><p>“It doesn’t matter what you think, Frankie. It’s my life, my decisions, and I won’t let you interfere with it.” Annie said back, exasperated at how adamant Frankie was. </p><p>“You’re correct. I apologize, I will make sure to be more respectful of your decisions in the future.” Frankie said, suddenly looking less stoical, and more regretful. </p><p>“I forgive you, this time. But I don’t want to hear of this from you ever again. Is that understood?” Annie said in a demanding tone.</p><p>“I understand.” Frankie responded with a nod.</p><p>“And you will apologize to Jeff for those hurtful comments you made to him.” Annie added. </p><p>“I will do that, I promise.” Frankie said.</p><p>“Okay, good. I’ll be going then.” Annie said, and stood up, wincing as she did.</p><p>Frankie looked at her with a furrowed brow. “Are you okay?” She asked.</p><p>“I was at the gym a few hours ago, I’m just sore.” Annie explained truthfully.</p><p>“Okay. Well, I guess I will see you then.” Frankie said as she followed Annie out to the door.</p><p>Annie wordlessly nodded, and walked out, heading straight for the bus-stop. It was 10 minutes until the bus would arrive, so Annie sat down as the only person at the stop, and called Jeff back.</p><p>“Hi, sorry for rejecting the call earlier. I was at Frankie’s, talking with her, bad timing.” Annie said as soon as Jeff picked up the phone.</p><p>“That’s okay. Is everything okay between you two?” Jeff asked, sounding worried. </p><p>“Hopefully. I told her what I thought about her interfering with my life like that, and what I thought about the things she said to you. She apologized to me, and I told her that it was OK, but that I won’t accept that happening again.” Annie told him truthfully. </p><p>“Wow…okay. Thank you, for doing that. What you said to me on Sunday means a lot to me, as does this.” Jeff said, sounding quite touched by Annie standing up for him like that.</p><p>“Don’t be surprised if she calls you. I told her to apologize to you too.” Annie added, so that he was warned ahead of time.</p><p>“Oh okay. Thanks for letting me know. But are you okay, Annie? I know that can’t have been easy for you.” Jeff asked, sounding slightly worried for her. They hadn’t really spoken properly since Sunday night, only sending short texts in the morning and night, and about some other stuff.</p><p>“I’m fine. Or, I will be. I’m still pretty angry at her, for saying those things to you, but also for going behind my back like I’m some kid that can’t be responsible for my own actions and needs others to make decisions for her.” Annie said, revealing her still lingering feelings on the subject.</p><p>“Yeah, I get that. Sorry again for doing that to you all these years. I realize now that it’s not fair to you, or right that Frankie did it to you now. I know I’m not the best for these things, since I’m as guilty of it as Frankie is, but if you want to talk about it, I’m here for you.” Jeff said, realizing how Frankie had mirrored his own past actions.</p><p>“Thank you…I might take you up on that offer, but not right now. Anyway, we were going to talk about where I applied for work, right?” Annie said, changing the subject to something less heavy.</p><p>“Yeah, we were. Any exciting places you applied to?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Well, there’s only so many places where they might need a forensic scientist, Jeff.” Annie said, laughing slightly.</p><p>“Yeah but you know…” Jeff said, he knew that Annie understood what he meant.</p><p>“I do. I applied at every police station I could track down around the state, and at the FBI in Denver. I also applied at…. wait, can you hold that thought? My bus is here.” Annie said, realizing that ten minutes had suddenly passed.</p><p>“I’ll be waiting in anticipation.” Jeff said, laughing at her and how she got distracted mid-sentence.</p><p>“Okay, call you back when I get home. Bye!” Annie said hurriedly, as the bus stopped in front of her.</p><p>“Bye!” Jeff managed to respond, before she hung up and quickly brought up the ticket app on her phone and entered the bus.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff gets invited over to Annie and Britta's apartment, and things quickly get a bit awkward. The very next day, Jeff gets a pleasant surprise.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On Friday night, Annie found herself on the phone with Jeff yet again.</p><p>“I’m telling you, if you want to train your legs properly then there’s no way around doing squats. I know they suck and that you get sore, but it hurts because you’ve used so many of your muscles.” Jeff said, after listening to Annie complain about how she didn’t want to do squats, after her morning gym session had caught up to her and made her incredibly sore yet again.</p><p>“I know, just wish there were other ways.” Annie said with a groan.</p><p>“It’s like those dumb motivational posts everybody puts up on their social media says: no pain, no gain.” Jeff said.</p><p>“Please don’t become one of those stupid gym-bros that brag about how much you bench while spouting motivational quotes like that.” Annie said, rolling her eyes at his quote.</p><p>“I won’t, I promise. It’s all phony crap either way.” Jeff said, reassuring her.</p><p>“Good. By the way, I was wondering if you would like to come over tomorrow?” Annie asked, sounding a bit hopeful.</p><p>“Just you and me, or?” Jeff asked in return.</p><p>“You, me and Britta. I figured we could hang out, just the three of us. Maybe order a pizza?” Annie said, suggesting the pizza despite Jeff avoiding carbs for all in the world.</p><p>“Can’t just the two of us hang out? We already hung out as a group a week ago. Besides, you know I don’t eat carbs.” Jeff said, unsure of why Britta had to tag along.</p><p>“Jeff! Last Saturday was nice, but Chang and the Dean always makes things weird. And your fight with Frankie didn’t help either. I’d like to hang out, with just the three of us. Britta is working tonight, so I know she’s free tomorrow. And you can make an exception from your no-carb rule for one night.” Annie said, not getting why it was such a big deal to him.</p><p>“Annie, I can’t just make exceptions all the times. Exceptions becomes bad habits.” Jeff said. </p><p>“Please?” She pleaded with him in her tiniest, most innocent sounding voice. </p><p>“Fine. I’ll make an exception this one time.” Jeff said with a sigh.</p><p>“Great! Does 7 work for you?” Annie asked for confirmation.</p><p>“Yeah, that sounds good.” Jeff confirmed.</p><p>“Okay, I’ll uh…see you tomorrow!” Annie said, suddenly in a hurry.</p><p>“See you then. Good night Annie.” Jeff responded with fondness evident in his voice.</p><p>“Good night Jeff!” Annie said in return, then hung up.</p><p>Jeff was left slightly puzzled. Why did she suddenly seem like she was in a hurry? They had been talking lightly for a while that night, talking about their day, and catching up on what they had been doing since last they met. And then suddenly she hung up like that, as if she got spooked. Sometimes, she could be so utterly confusing, he thought to himself. Pushing aside his confusion, he un-paused his Netflix and settled down with his glass of water and chicken salad.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p>The next night, Jeff showed up at Annie and Britta’s apartment dressed in a casual denim shirt and thin jacket over it. He knocked on the door, and hoped it would be Annie that opened the door this time around. To his enjoyment, it was. Annie opened the door, and despite her being dressed in grey sweatpants and a purple hoodie, he was in awe.</p><p>“Hi.” He said, smiling.</p><p>“Hi! Come in!” Annie returned excitedly with a smile of her own.</p><p>Jeff stepped inside, and took off his jacket and shoes. “I hope you didn’t eat before you came here, because I ordered the pizza five minutes ago.” Annie told him once he had discarded the unnecessary clothing.</p><p>“No, of course not. What kind of pizza?” Jeff asked, curious since he had no say in the matter.</p><p>“Surprise. You’ll see when it gets here.” Annie said, with a sly smile on her face.</p><p>The two walked over the couch, and sat down beside each other. As they did, Britta came walking out of her room.</p><p>“Oh, hey Jeff, welcome.” Britta said.</p><p>“Hello.” Jeff said, as Britta sat down in a chair facing Jeff and Annie. </p><p>“So, I was wondering, what are we doing outside of just eating pizza?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Well, I figured we could watch a movie?” Annie said.</p><p>“Sounds good. Any particular one you two want to watch?” Jeff asked, looking back and forth between them. Annie looked like she was about to speak, when Britta replied.</p><p>“I saw there was this thing about Guantanamo Bay on Netflix, why don’t we watch that?” Britta suggested.</p><p>“Britta, that’s a documentary, not a movie.” Jeff replied instantly, completely exasperated by her hopeless suggestion.</p><p>“Well, I was thinking that maybe we could watch Mad Max? Abed said it was really good.” Annie suggested, and Jeff’s face instantly lightened up a bit.</p><p>“Sounds good.” Jeff said.</p><p>“Oh come on. I’d rather watch a documentary than some mindless action movie.” Britta complained.</p><p>“It’s two against one, Britta.” Annie said, looking smug.</p><p>“This isn’t fair. You could convince him to watch Frozen with you if you just gave him a look. I don’t have those powers.” Britta continued complaining.</p><p>“I’d rather watch that ten times over than your documentary, Britta.” Jeff said, then turned to Annie. “Let’s find this movie. Is it on any streaming services?”</p><p>“Yup! Arrived last week, apparently. I came prepared.” Annie said cheerfully.</p><p>“Ugh, fine.” Britta uttered from the side, but Jeff and Annie were too busy to notice.</p><p>They sat down to watch the movie, and got around 20 minutes in before Annie got a call on her phone.</p><p>“It’s the pizza.” Annie said to the two others.</p><p>“I’ll get it.” Britta said, and got up from her chair.</p><p>“Want us to pause the movie?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Nah, just leave it on.” Britta said, and put on her shoes before heading downstairs.</p><p>“Seems good so far.” Jeff commented.</p><p>“Hm?” Annie uttered, and turned to face him as she didn’t catch what he just said.</p><p>“Movie seems good so far.” He repeated.</p><p>“Oh, yeah. Abed recommended it to me, I asked him last night.” Annie said, like it wasn’t a big deal.</p><p>“Was that why you hung up so quickly on me?” Jeff then turned to her to ask.</p><p>“Oh, yeah. Sorry. My mind just went into planning mode. I knew we’d fight about what to watch, so I wanted to have a strong argument. And then I went to wash the couch yet again so it could dry overnight.” Annie said, and Jeff only shook his head a bit with a smile. She wanted to plan out even such a small thing like this so that it would be as nice as possible. Annie in response scooted slightly closer to him, leaning against his strong shoulder as she watched the movie. </p><p>Sadly, the moment was interrupted by Britta, who returned with the pizza. “Food’s here, wake up lovebirds.” She announced, as she saw Annie leaned up against Jeff on the couch.</p><p>Annie jumped slightly, and scooted away from Jeff, slightly flustered by the abrupt comment. She hadn’t heard Britta enter, nor was she really prepared for that comment. </p><p>“Easy there.” Britta said once she saw Annie jump like that.</p><p>“You okay?” Jeff asked, looking at Annie worried.</p><p>“Uh, y-y-yeah, just surprised me.” Annie said, her eyes avoiding them both.</p><p>“Okay.” Jeff said, not pushing her any further. “Now, what kind of pizza did you get?” Jeff asked, and opened up the box. “Nice, meat lover, my favourite! If I’m losing my abs tonight, I might as well do it in style.”</p><p>“You won’t lose them just from eating some pizza you idiot.” Britta remarked at hearing him say that.</p><p>“Actually, it’s half meat lover, half veggie.” Annie clarified. “Veggie for Britta, and a meat lover for us.”</p><p>“Smart.” Jeff acknowledged.</p><p>“You really thought this through, didn’t you?” Britta asked rhetorically.</p><p>“Thank you.” Annie gushed; happy she was able to find a pizza solution everybody was happy with. Even Jeff, reluctantly.</p><p>They all settled down and ate pizza, while watching the movie. As it turns out, Abed had made a good recommendation. By the end even Britta was invested in the movie, taking special interest in the overthrowing of a tyrannical ruler, and finding Tom Hardy quite attractive. </p><p>“I’m surprised, an actually politically aware action movie.” Britta remarked as the credits rolled.</p><p>“I’ll be sure to make Abed know even you liked it.” Annie said proudly, glad her planning had worked out. </p><p>“I think she just liked looking at Tom Hardy.” Jeff added.</p><p>“Oh, shut it. You two have been making googly eyes at each other ever since Annie got back.” Britta bit back instantly. Jeff and Annie looked at each other in response, both wide eyed and surprised, then looked away shyly.</p><p>“We do <em>not</em>.” Annie said in return to Britta, but could barely even make eye contact.</p><p>“You just did it right now. Come on you two, how long are you going to take to figure this out?” Britta asked, a bit frustrated on their behalf.</p><p>“Britta, just stay out of it.” Jeff said, feeling very uncomfortable having this talk right then and there, and sensing that Annie was too.</p><p>“Do I need to lock you two in a room and not let you out until you’ve figured it out?” Britta asked in response.</p><p>“Now you’re just suggesting a romcom-trope. Did Abed put you up to this?” Jeff said, sensing Abed’s love of clichés.</p><p>“No, I’m serious. You two need to figure this out.” Britta said, looking them both dead in the eye.</p><p>“Britta!” Annie exclaimed, frustrated that she wouldn’t drop it.</p><p>“Look, we’re not figuring anything out right here and now, so just drop it.” Jeff said with an exasperated tone.</p><p>“I’m just saying….” Britta continued.</p><p>“Leave it.” Jeff demanded.</p><p>“Fine.” Britta responded with an added eye-roll, finally relenting.</p><p>“So, how has living together been so far?” Jeff asked, trying to change the subject.</p><p>“It’s been…uh, nice. Definitely cleaner here. We don’t see each other that much though, since I work late and Annie is up early.” Britta responded, sounding overall positive.</p><p>“Yeah, it’s been nice living with someone I know. Not much to report though, it’s only been a week after all, and Britta works a lot.” Annie said, and Jeff couldn’t help but notice that they weren’t going into great detail about anything. </p><p>“Speaking of work, how’s the job searching going?” Britta decided to ask Annie.</p><p>“It’s uh, I’m working on it. Applied for a lot of jobs a few days ago, but there’s no positions relevant to my education where they’re actually actively looking for people. Just need to wait for responses, I guess.” Annie responded. </p><p>“What about you Jeff, been up to anything cool?” Britta asked him.</p><p>“Not really. School’s starting up next week, so I attended a faculty meeting on Monday. Went to the therapist on Tuesday. Outside of that I’ve just been going to the gym, watching tv and doing the last bit of work I have to have prepared for the start of the semester.” Jeff explained.</p><p>“Oh, how is therapy going?” Britta asked, and Annie looked on curiously.</p><p>“Think it’s going well.” Jeff responded shortly, not interested in going into great detail.</p><p>“What about you Britta, what’s your plan going forward?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Same as before, continuing my psychology major and working on the side. Hopefully I can get the class schedule soon, I don’t want to work late the day before morning classes.” Britta explained, sounding frustrated at the lack of information from the school.</p><p>“What? They haven’t released the schedule yet? Classes are starting next week!” Annie exclaimed in shock.</p><p>“They’ve only released the schedule for like two weeks, the rest is ‘subject to change’ as they so neatly put it. Sometimes that school drives me nuts.” Britta huffed in frustration.</p><p>“Careful Britta, at this rate you might end up as the new Leonard.” Jeff said with a laugh.</p><p>“Shut it Jeff, you’re still there too!” Britta snapped back at him.</p><p>“Yeah, I work there. They pay me to show up.” Jeff laughed.</p><p>“…on a teacher’s salary, which is next to nothing.” Britta snarled back at him.</p><p>“Still more than you. And I’ll have you know; they gave me a raise over the summer.” Jeff said smugly.</p><p>“Jeff! That’s great!” Annie exclaimed, and gave him a big celebratory hug.</p><p>“How in the world did you get that? Did you offer the Dean more of your time?” Britta asked.</p><p>“I’ll have you know that my students graded out really well, and it’s because I’ve been there for two years now.” Jeff said, not taking Britta’s shit.</p><p>“I’m proud of you Jeff, you’ve done well.” Annie said with a big smile, looking really happy for him.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m sure giving your students high grades to get a good average in your class is solid teaching.” Britta said, rolling her eyes at him.</p><p>“Do you <em>really</em> think Frankie would let me get away with that? I’ve done my best to teach them, and I genuinely think they’ve done well.” Jeff said. “Besides, it’s normal policy that newer teachers get a raise after a few years.” </p><p>“Suuuure..” Britta said, and rolled her eyes at him.</p><p>“Britta! Lay off of him. He got a raise, just be happy for him, okay?” Annie said, interjecting herself into their little disagreement to end it.</p><p>“Alright, alright” Britta said, holding her hands up in the air in mock surrender. Things went back to normal after that, and the rest of the night went by peacefully. Jeff drove back home by 11 PM, announcing that he was tired. He bid them both farewell and a good night, but was followed to the door by Annie. She hugged him, melting completely into it, and wished him a good night once they parted, her eyes locked with his. Britta, ever curious, couldn’t help but watch, but nothing really happened, and Jeff left.</p><p>Jeff went to bed that night feeling a bit odd. The conversation with Britta had been awkward, to say the least. She wasn’t wrong about him and Annie, they did have things they needed to figure out, but on the couch in the same room as Britta was neither the time nor the place. The problem was, as Annie put it before the summer, the variables. He didn’t know if she was staying or going – Annie didn’t even know herself. And if she left, would she want him with her? Besides, the age thing, it wasn’t going away. He wanted her, he knew that, but he wanted to defer the decision for Annie to make it.</p><p>The next day started as any other day for Jeff. He woke up to a good morning-text from Annie, and sent one in return two hours later. Still remembering the many slices of pizza he had reluctantly eaten (though they were delicious – Annie had hit a homerun with the selection), Jeff felt obligated to head to the gym to do cardio. He got out of bed and prepared for the day, making himself some egg and bacon without bread. Before heading off, he sent Annie a text, expecting her to be up given her earlier text.</p><p><em>Hey, I’m heading to the gym now. You there or going today?</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger 10:23 AM</p><p>Annie responded pretty much instantly.</p><p><em>No, I’m not, sorry! Still sore from Friday, hope it’ll be over soon :(</em><br/>
-Cute Doe Eyes 10:23 AM</p><p><em>It’s usually like that if you haven’t worked out in a while. Your body will get used to it soon. :)</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger 10:24 AM</p><p>Slightly disappointed, he headed off the gym after letting his food digest for a bit. The gym was predictably quiet on that Sunday morning, leaving him free to use whatever equipment he wanted without waiting, a luxury he would miss once work would remove his ability to work out consistently in the morning. This time, he was training his back, which he completed in around an hour, before moving onto the extra training to get rid of the pizza from the night before. The punishment was no other than interval sprints, his eternal enemy. They were a pain in the ass, but effective. </p><p>Half an hour later, he was practically crawling back to the car, and drove himself home, legs essentially numb. Back home, he drew himself a bath, too tired to bother standing in the shower. Normally the tub stood unused 90% of the time, but in times of fatigue it was useful. He slouched around there for half an hour, before dragging himself up from there, in need of some food. He slouched down on the couch with his pre-prepared bowl of chicken salad, intent on spending the rest of the day on the couch.</p><p>Jeff had been sitting there for hours, browsing through all his streaming services and simply enjoying his last day before work would resume, when out of nowhere he heard a knock on the door. He silently cursed whoever it was for interrupting his relaxation, and hoped it wasn’t the Dean on his door. Jeff stiffly got up from the comfort of the couch to open it, still completely worn out and sore from the gym. Jeff opened the door, ready to tell whomever had interrupted him off, but instead he found…</p><p>“Annie?” Jeff exclaimed with a mixture of surprise and joy at seeing her at his door. She was dressed in a red coat, her legs visible underneath, indicating that she was wearing a skirt or a dress of some sort, and his eyes quickly drifted up and down her, taking in the unexpected sight on his door.</p><p>“Hi.” Annie said with a smile.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Jeff asked, slightly shocked by her appearance.</p><p>“Can I come in?” Annie asked instead of answering.</p><p>“Ehm, sure. But you didn’t answer my question.” Jeff said, and stepped aside to let her inside, his eyes drifting.</p><p>“Wanted to visit, get some alone time.” Annie said nonchalantly.</p><p>“You didn’t think to call or text me about coming?” Jeff said, thinking a question or warning would be fitting.</p><p>“Would have spoiled the surprise. You should have seen the look on your face.” Annie said with a slight giggle.</p><p>“Annie.” Jeff said with a serious tone, looking at her with firm eyes.</p><p>“Look, I just wanted to hang out with you, alone. I’ll leave if you don’t want visitors.” Annie responded; a bit dejected by his apparent frustration.</p><p>Realizing he had upset her with his tone, Jeff instantly tried to fix things. “No, no. Stay. I was just a bit surprised. You haven’t really been here alone, ever. And to see you here without warning just took me a bit by surprise, that’s all.” He tried to explain, definitely not wanting her to leave again.</p><p>“Oh, okay. Sorry about that. I just wanted to surprise you.” Annie said with a half-smile on her face.</p><p>“It’s a great surprise, really. You look nice.” Jeff said in a complimentary tone, looking at her fondly, while internally cursing himself for only coming up with <em>nice</em>.</p><p>“Thanks!” Annie responded shyly, a slight blush forming on her pale skin.</p><p>“But did you really want to get rid of Britta this badly?” Jeff asked teasingly.</p><p>“Britta’s cool, she is, but we haven’t really gotten any time alone in the past week. Having her around just isn’t the same, especially when she’s nagging us like she did last night.” </p><p>“True. Glad we could make her stop, was just getting weird.” Jeff added in agreement.</p><p>“Right? Can’t just say something like that and not expect things to be awkward.” Annie said, agreeing completely with him.</p><p>“Sometimes I think she just likes making things weird.” Jeff said, shaking his head at her antics. “Britta aside, did you have anything specific in mind?”</p><p>“No, not really. I just kind of spontaneously decided to come, I just changed into something different and took the bus here.” Annie said, revealing a rare unplanned moment.</p><p>“Okay. I was just watching an episode of Narcos personally.” Jeff said.</p><p>“Why don’t we watch that episode, and then put on a movie?” Annie asked, looking at with for approval.</p><p>“Sure.” Jeff said, and Annie smiled in return. Jeff returned to the couch, settling himself down in his usual spot on the right of the couch while Annie took off her coat, revealing a dark-blue sundress reaching down to right above her knees, without revealing anything up top. </p><p>“Wow Annie…you look great. New dress?” Jeff complimented her, severely understating how much he really liked it. </p><p>“Thank you! Yes, I bought it over the summer, but I barely wore it. Figured you might like it.” Annie said, gushing a bit at his compliment.</p><p>“I do, a lot.” Jeff said honestly, his eyes still drifting up and down her, eyeing everything from her short but lovely legs, to the cute dress reserved just for him, and her long brunette hair framing those beautiful blue eyes he could get so lost in. Annie could sense him eyeing her, and tucked a hair behind her ear, a bit shy from being eyed like that.</p><p>Annie approached the couch, and sat down to his left, but before she settled down completely, something caught her eye. She jumped up from the couch again, to Jeff’s bewilderment, and went over to the far side of the couch to the right of the one Jeff was residing on. She picked up a green pillow, and studied it, before turning to Jeff with it still in her hands.</p><p>“Jeff, this is my pillow.” She said matter-of-factly. </p><p>“What?” Jeff asked instantly, a bit confused.</p><p>“I said, this is <em>my</em> pillow. I haven’t seen it in years, assumed it disappeared from the living room at the apartment years ago. And yet here it is, sitting on your couch.” Annie explained.</p><p>“Wait, how?” Jeff asked, not sure he could ever recall taking a pillow from her.</p><p>“That’s my question, Jeff. Did you take one of my pillows?” Annie asked, eyes narrowed at him.</p><p>“Annie, why would I steal a pillow? Me, who hasn’t decorated anything in this place since I moved in, stealing a pillow? Really?” Jeff responded, amazed that she even asked that.</p><p>“I don’t know??” Annie asked, equally confused by all of this. </p><p>“Didn’t you bring a bunch of things here that one time we celebrated Christmas here? You know, when you invited the professor and you started decorating the place?” Jeff said, recalling the only time Annie could possibly have brought it to his place, because he sure as hell didn’t bring it himself.</p><p>“Oh, yeah. That’s right. Maybe I forgot it here when I left? Would make sense, I think I noticed a few months later that I hadn’t seen it in a while.” Annie responded, thinking back to that day herself.</p><p>“I think you might have.” Jeff said.</p><p>“Even then, why didn’t you tell me if I forgot it here?” Annie asked.</p><p>“I didn’t realize that you had. If I did, I would have told you or brought it to you, I just didn’t think much about it. I thought a while ago that I couldn’t remember ever buying it, but I didn’t remember who brought it or when it showed up either. And besides, nobody ever asked me about it.” Jeff said, slightly defensive.</p><p>“Oh well. I guess finding it now is better late than never.” Annie said with a slight sigh.</p><p>“You can have it back, you know. It’s not mine, so only fair that you can take it with you later.” Jeff stated.</p><p>“Nah, you can keep it, it looks good on your couch. Never really contrasted well with the one at the apartment.” Annie said with her smile back on her face, to Jeff’s relief.</p><p>“If you say so.” Jeff said in carefree agreement – this really did not matter much to him, funny as it was. “Now, what say you we get this show on the road?” He added, gesticulating to the paused show on his tv.</p><p>“Let’s.” Annie said, and returned to Jeff’s couch, setting herself down on the opposite end as Jeff resumed the episode. </p><p>They sat there for the remaining 20 minutes of the episode in silence, with Annie trying to grasp the story of a show she had never seen before, in the middle of the season. Jeff could see her to his left on his peripheral vision, completely focused on the screen. It wasn’t entirely fair to dump her right in the middle of it, but they’d pick something else soon enough. Though given her profession, it was a show that could be of some interest, he thought as her peered over at her again, her gaze unflinching from the screen.</p><p>Once the episode was finished, Jeff turned to her. “So, you seemed focused.” He stated, matter-of-factly.</p><p>Like broken out of a trance, Annie turned to him. “Hm? Oh, yeah.” She replied, as if a bit lost if thought. “It was interesting.”</p><p>“That was episode 4, show dropped two days ago. Abed’s recommendation. If you binge a bit, you can catch up to me.” Jeff said, dropping a very unsubtle hint.</p><p>“Do you want to watch it with me?” Annie asked, perking up a bit at the idea.</p><p>“I’d like that, yeah. I can stop watching and wait until you’ve watched the three and a half episodes you haven’t seen, then we can watch the rest together?” Jeff suggested, hoping she’d agree.</p><p>“I’d like that. I’ll get started on it tomorrow.” Annie responded happily. </p><p>“Great! Got any ideas for what we could watch right now?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Hm, lets see what they have.” Annie said, and took the remote to start scrolling through his Netflix app. “What about Love Actually?”</p><p>“Annie, it’s not Christmas yet.” Jeff retorted, shutting down that suggestion instantly.</p><p>“Hmph. Fine.” Annie said, and continued scrolling. “What about The Breakfast Club?” She suggested, turning to him to see his face.</p><p>Jeff’s face scrunched up a bit, reading the screen. “Annie, I’m not watching an 80’s comedy.” He replied.</p><p>“Okay, do you have any suggestions then?” Annie asked.</p><p>“What about The Cabin in The Woods?” Jeff suggested, and Annie put it into the search bar to figure out what it was about. “Jeff! You know I don’t watch horror movies!” She exclaimed in frustration. “Now you just lost your vote.”</p><p>“Annie, you can’t just decide that my opinion doesn’t matter.” Jeff exclaimed, laughing at her antics.</p><p>“Yes, I can when you suggest things you know I don’t like. We’re watching The Notebook.” Annie responded adamantly.</p><p>“Annie, every girl ever has watched that. At least find something you don’t already know.” Jeff said, rolling his eyes at her for going picking a movie she had to know already. </p><p>“Fine. What about Before Sunrise? It has been rated well, and I haven’t watched it.” Annie said, and pointed to the tv to make sure he saw the 5-star rating.</p><p>“Okay. Let’s go with that.” Jeff said, finally relenting to her endless barrage of romantic movies.</p><p>“Great!” Annie said, and started the movie. She placed the remote on the table, and settled back down in the couch, the two sat on opposite sides. </p><p>Annie predictably found herself very interested in the movie early, while Jeff was a bit less interested, but still pleased to see Annie so invested. He couldn’t help but notice that Annie wasn’t sitting especially still, and was moving around as the movie progressed, creeping further away from the armrest and towards him.</p><p>What caught him by surprise however, was when Annie closed what little distance there was between them, and leaned onto his shoulder like she had the day prior. She leaned onto him for a bit, without Jeff moving away or to pull her closer, when she spoke. “Jeff, I’m a bit cold.”</p><p>Jeff turned his face towards hers, which was leaning on his shoulder. “I can get you a blanket if you want?” He asked.</p><p>“That would be nice.” Annie said. Wordlessly Jeff moved, and Annie leaned off of him. Jeff walked into an adjacent room, and came back seconds later with a grey blanket. He sat back down where he had just been, and moved his legs up on the couch, leaning his back against the armrest. He gestured for Annie to move closer, and she did, fitting in outside of him, leaning onto his chest. Jeff reached out the blanket, and put it over both their legs, figuring that she was freezing on her bare legs.</p><p>Annie moved a bit, trying to make herself comfortable, before finally finding just the right spot, her head resting on his chest, with her eyes focused on the screen. Jeff looked down at her resting there, smiling at her fondly. This was nice, really nice. Not since he had been with Michelle all those years ago had he imagined himself resting on the couch with someone resting on him, but now here he was, doing it with Annie. She scared him like no other woman could, but it was the good kind of scared, because it meant that he cared.</p><p>After a while, caught in the moment of romantic stuff happening on the screen and Annie resting on him so peacefully and perfectly, he leaned his head forward and kissed the top of her head. Annie smiled, and turned her head around to face him once his mouth parted with her head. </p><p>“What was that for?” Annie asked curiously, with a big smile on her face.</p><p>“Dunno. Wanted to.” Jeff said with a shrug, smiling back at her. </p><p>Jeff could see her eyes staring at him, studying him. “Did you regret it?” Annie suddenly asked.</p><p>“Regret what?” Jeff asked, not sure what she was referring to specifically.</p><p>“The kiss. Did you regret it?” Annie specified.</p><p>“No. But I regret not doing it sooner.” Jeff said honestly, having already given the subject some thought it his head. “Did you?”</p><p>“No. But I do wish you did it sooner.” Annie replied, her eyes staring into his. Her pupils were dilated, those normally so blue eyes locked onto his, the message clearer than ever. </p><p>Annie was moving closer to him, her eyes drifting down to his lips, and back up to his eyes again. Then Jeff leaned forward, and closed the gap between them, closing his eyes and capturing her lips with his. Her lips were so soft, so sweet, and she tasted like strawberries. He had longed to feel her lips on his all summer, and now she was here, their lips closed and moving in sync together. It felt so right, so good. Last time, they kissed goodbye. This time, they were kissing in the hopes something more.</p><p>Their lips finally parted with both of them needing to catch their breaths. Their eyes opened yet again, both of them grinning at each other. In the background, the movie had faded away. It was still going, yet none of them were paying attention to it, their focus solely on each other. He loved that smile. Her smile of absolute unrivalled happiness, and this time it was reserved just for him. He was so happy he could have that effect on her, because the effect she had on him, well, that could barely be described with words. Annie leaned down once again, and gave him a quick peck. She pulled back just as quickly, but he could see that it wasn’t out of regret. No, she just wanted a tiny bit more before her head settled back down on his chest.</p><p>They didn’t speak for a while after that, Annie contently resting on his chest, his steady breathing and movement of his chest soothing her. He could hear her slow breathing, and though he couldn’t see her face properly from this angle, he thought she seemed happy. Relaxed, even. Like things were the way they should be.</p><p>“Jeff?” She suddenly turned her face around to him to ask.</p><p>“Yeah?” </p><p>“Would it be okay if we opened a bottle of wine from your rack?” She asked, her eyes drifting over to the rack where Jeff stored his alcohol, including what looked like some bottles of wine.</p><p>“Sure. Anything you fancy?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“No, not really. You can pick.” Annie said, deferring the actual selection to Jeff.</p><p>“Luckily for you, I took a class in wine tasting, so I’ve got the best of the best here.” Jeff said with a cocky grin, his usual confidence back. Annie simply smiled in return.</p><p>Annie moved off of Jeff, allowing him to walk over to the rack while Annie paused the movie. He studied it for a second, then pulled out a bottle of red wine and placed it on the desk, before heading into the kitchen to find a corkscrew opener and two glasses. He returned to the bottle and opened it, before carrying that and two glasses over to the table, setting them down in front of them both. He gently poured a glass for both of them, and handed it to Annie before sitting down with his own. “Thank you.” She said, and took a sip.</p><p>“Jeff, this is really good!” Annie exclaimed after tasting it.</p><p>“Told you I got the best of the best.” Jeff said smugly.</p><p>“Normally I’d say you’re exaggerating, but this really is great.” Annie hummed, and took another, bigger sip.</p><p>“Happy to be of service.” Jeff said, and resumed the movie before taking a sip himself. </p><p>They continued watching while drinking wine, with Annie gushing over the ending, hopeful as ever. A part of Jeff wanted to be cynical and tell her that it was just her being hopeful, and that more realistically the two characters would never meet again. But Annie was there, sitting alongside him. They just kissed a bit earlier. Maybe the hopeful romantics were right sometimes? Mulling those thoughts in his head, Jeff decided to suppress his instinct to cynically shoot down the ending of the movie. </p><p>The night was still fairly young, so they decided to go back-to-back, letting Jeff decide this time. They ended up watching Inception, based on Netflix’s recommendations, and Jeff’s insistence that it was in no way a horror movie. They settled back down again to watch, wine glasses being refilled several times through the movie, which Jeff paid more attention to this time. By the end, Annie was lying there with her face resting in his lap, giving her what Jeff imagined had to be a unique view of the movie. </p><p>As the credits rolled, Jeff saw that Annie had dozed off, her breathing even and calm as she laid there peacefully. Carefully, Jeff moved her head off of him, and snuck a pillow under her head before walking into his bedroom. He contemplated calling a cab, or Britta, but decided against it. It was nearly midnight, and Annie was sleeping. Sending her off in a cab while sleepy and probably slightly drunk didn’t seem like the responsible thing to do, and he didn’t want to bother Britta about it. He quietly pulled off the sheets on his bed, and put on clean sheets and a clean comforter. He walked back into the living room, and saw Annie’s sleeping form lying on the couch. She looked so peaceful and beautiful there, but he didn’t want to let her sleep on the couch. He studied her for a second, trying to figure out how to approach this, before carefully turning her around on her back, and hooking his arms underneath her knees and back. He picked her up, and thanked the stars for Annie being too far gone to wake up, and for her being so light. Carefully, he carried her into his bedroom, placing her gently down on the bed with her head on the pillow, before tucking the comforter over her.</p><p>Jeff bent down, and kissed her forehead, quietly muttering “Good night Annie.”, before heading to the exit of his bedroom, shutting off the lights as he went, and quietly closing the door. He picked up the discarded comforter that was on his bed minutes prior, and carried it over to the couch. After getting himself ready for bed, he walked back to the longest couch he had, laid down on it with his head on Annie’s pillow, and covered himself in his comforter. The couch was a bit too short for him to properly stretch out, but it would have to do. There was no way he was sleeping in the same bed as Annie, not when she was deep in her sleep and probably too drunk to think clearly. </p><p>With far too many thoughts running through his head, though mostly happy, positive thoughts, he tried to get some sleep. He had work the next day, after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff wakes up on the couch, back aching and with memories of last night still fresh in his mind. As quietly as possible, he gets ready for work while trying to let the brunette in his bed get some well earned sleep.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jeff woke up to his alarm the next day, with his back aching slightly. He wasn’t sure if it was soreness from the morning before, or if it was the slightly uncomfortable sleeping position. Either way, he had to go to work. He dragged himself off the couch, and tried to stretch himself a bit, trying to loosen up his muscles before properly starting the day. The time was 8:30, so he knew he had around an hour to get ready so he could make it to class at 10.</p><p>After stretching, he looked around the room, and couldn’t see any trace of Annie having woken up. To be sure, he checked the door. “Locked.” He muttered to himself. If Annie left, she couldn’t have locked the door. Assuming that she was still sleeping, he slowly opened up the door to the bedroom, and saw that she was still there, sleeping soundly. He quietly tiptoed into the bathroom, and carefully shut the door, as he didn’t want to wake her. He quickly took a shower, hoping the noise wouldn’t wake her, then cleaned himself up. He then headed back into the bedroom wearing only a towel, and quietly opened up the wardrobe to find himself a shirt, underwear, pants and some socks, before taking them out into the living room, where he quickly got dressed. </p><p>He went to the kitchen, and found himself one of the ready-made salad containers he had prepared for himself. Sometimes, preparing meals in advance could come in really handy. He ate up in silence by his dining table, as he couldn’t be bothered cleaning the living room table right then and there. It still had wine, wine glasses and some healthy snacks on it from last night, after all. Once his food was eaten, he snuck back into the bathroom, checked his hair again, and brushed his teeth.</p><p>Jeff walked back into the living room again without having woken up Annie, but he imagined that she would still be quite surprised once she did wake up. Because of that, he found himself a piece of paper and a pen, and sat down where he had just eaten to write a little note to her.</p><p>
  <em>Good morning, Annie. You fell asleep last night, and I didn’t want to wake you up or send you away in a cab, so I decided to let you sleep here instead while I took the couch. Hope that’s okay with you. I have to go to work, but I didn’t want to wake you up unnecessarily. There’s some food in the fridge if you get hungry, including some ready-made chicken salads if you get hungry. If you leave before I’m back from work, please lock the door. I’m placing the spare key on this letter. Do not hide the key anywhere outside of the apartment, take it with you. I don’t want the neighbor to find it under any circumstances. Anyway, I’m rambling on a written letter now. Have a great morning, and I’ll talk to you later!<br/>
- Sincerely yours, Jeff</em>
</p><p>Content with his letter, he walked back to her room, and picked up his normally well-hidden spare key and her phone while he was at it. He placed the letter on the nightstand beside her, along with the key and her phone so she could easily find them. Afterwards, he picked up his bag with his book and pc in it, and headed out the door, locking it with his own key so Craig wouldn’t be able to get in there. </p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p>Oddly enough, Jeff had time to spare. The clock in his car read 9:32 AM as he set off, and Greendale was a mere 15-minute drive away. Heading the opposite way of the traffic that was no doubt destined for Denver, Jeff got there as quickly as expected, and headed straight into the classroom. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t the first person there, despite being ten minutes early. The Annies of the world always had to be slightly more diligent than him, even when he went out of his way to be.</p><p>He greeted the few students that were already there, and the ones that came after, trying to be as nice as possible. If there was one day he wanted try to make a good impression, it was the first day of school, with a group of new, impressionable students. Later on, he would have a class with the third years, who already knew him well enough to accept that he did things his own way sometimes.</p><p>With seemingly all the seats filled, and his phone telling him that it was 10:01 AM, he began the class. “Welcome. My name is Professor Jeff Winger, and this is Fundamentals of Law.” He began the class saying, before beginning an introduction of what the subject would cover, what books they needed in case they didn’t already know, and what the schedule would look like in the coming weeks. With all the introductions out of the way, he started his actual teaching, in his own signature way, just a bit happier than usual.</p><p>His classes had a break halfway through, in order to let his students breathe for a bit and clear their thoughts. Jeff found that he liked it himself, talking for ages could get tiresome, even for him. After the break, he would start to get right into the more interesting parts of law. If they weren’t interested yet, he would have them wrapped around his finger by the end of the lecture. </p><p>But fifteen minutes after the break, his phone suddenly called. He picked the phone up, apologized to the class, and looked at the screen. It was Britta, surprisingly. He rejected the call, muted the phone and put the phone back on the desk. He thought that would be it, that Britta would get the hint, but no. Just as he turned around to continue the lecture, his phone vibrated again.</p><p>“I need to text her back to get her to stop calling. Sorry about that.” Jeff told the class, and picked up the phone again, rejecting the call. He started typing out a message to her.</p><p>
  <em>I’m in class rn, call you</em>
</p><p>And then she called yet again before he could finish. “Fucks sake.” Jeff muttered, and picked up.</p><p>“JEFF WINGER, WHAT THE FUCK!” Britta shouted out at him, and he could see on the looks of the students that they had heard every single bit of that.</p><p>“Britta, I’m in class right now. I will call you back later. Bye.” He interrupted her to say, and then hung up again and turned the phone completely off.</p><p>“Sorry again.” He told the class.</p><p>“Professor’s in trouuuubleeeee” A guy on the first row said with a teasing tone, laughing at him.</p><p>“As will you be if you keep that up, so shut it.” He directed to the spiky-haired guy that mocked him. “Honestly got no idea why she’s calling. Just a friend, but I’ll deal with that later.” Jeff told the rest. </p><p>“Either way, where were we? Right, the ethics of law...” He continued, trailing into speech about the importance of legal professionals staying true to the ethics of law, rather than working for their own gain. It was something he personally cared a lot about, having already been on the wrong side of that line, and he was determined to teach his students the importance of not serving themselves right out of the gate.</p><p>After the first class was done, he knew he had an hour before the next one due to lunch break. He walked out into his car to get some free space, and turned his phone back on. Britta hadn’t called him, so there was that. Though he saw that he had a text from Annie.</p><p><em>Good morning! Saw your letter. Your handwriting is surprisingly nice! I ate some of your chicken salad, was actually really good! Didn’t know you were such a good cook? Left just now to take the bus back, locked the door and took the spare with me as you said. Thank you for taking so care of me, and sorry for falling asleep on you!! Talk after you’re done at work! &lt;3</em><br/>
-Cute Doe Eyes 11:14 AM</p><p>Jeff smiled as he read the message, and partly relieved from her taking waking up in his bed so well. He knew he could call, but decided to just shoot a quick text back, seeing as he had to call Britta and find out why she was so mad. </p><p><em>Good morning! My cooking skills are exceptional, perfected through years of practice. I’ll show you sometime. Happy I could help, hope the bed was comfortable enough for you even without your plushies :D Talk later! &lt;3</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger 12:07 PM</p><p>As soon as he sent the message, something dawned upon him. This was the first time he could remember sending Annie a heart. But hopefully, after last night that wouldn’t be a big deal to Annie. He shook himself from the happy thoughts of Annie, and brought up Britta on his contact list.</p><p>As soon as she picked up, Jeff spoke. “Hey, what was so urgent that you had to call me twice in the middle of class, and shout loud enough that the whole damn class heard it?” He opened with a sour tone. </p><p>“Jeff, what the fuck?” Britta exclaimed once again.</p><p>“Yes, you said that part already. Can you tell me why you’re ‘what the fuck’-ing me?” Jeff said with an annoyed tone.</p><p>“You know exactly what you’ve done. I just witnessed Annie walk back inside the apartment, wearing the same dress she was wearing last night, doing the walk of shame back to her room.” Britta explained with an angry tone.</p><p>“And? She didn’t bring spare clothes, neither of us really planned for her to sleep over.” Jeff said, not seeing what the big deal was. </p><p>“Jeff, that’s not the issue here. The issue is that you finally got her over to your place, you get her alone, and then you fucking sleep with her? I seriously thought you had changed you had changed, but instead you act like some man-child that can’t even stop himself from sleeping with Annie at the first chance possible!?” Britta said, practically shouting at him by the end.</p><p>“What?” Jeff exclaimed, snort-laughing as he did.</p><p>“Seriously? This is funny to you?” Britta said, tone not changing one bit.</p><p>Jeff calmed down his laughing, and composed himself, before replying. “Britta, I’m laughing because you’ve jumped so far into conclusions that I can’t help but laugh. We didn’t sleep together.” </p><p>“Then why the fuck did she come back here doing the walk of shame?” Britta asked, not buying what Jeff was saying.</p><p>“Probably just didn’t want to see her in a wrinkly dress she slept in. Look, we drank some wine last night, and Annie ended up falling asleep eventually. I got her to the bed and tucked her in, rather than calling a cab when she was drunk and completely out of it. Because of that, I’m sure her clothes looked like a bit of a mess after she woke up. I didn’t even sleep in the bed with her, I was on the couch. Hell, I can prove that, because unless Annie cleaned up there for some reason, my comforter is still on the couch.” Jeff explained more carefully.</p><p>“Seriously?” Britta asked.</p><p>“Yes! We didn’t sleep together. Annie can confirm that. And seriously, meet me at my place at three and I can prove to you that I didn’t.” Jeff said adamantly.</p><p>“Ugh. Fine. I believe you. But why didn’t you just call me?”</p><p>“It was practically midnight, so I didn’t want to bother you. Figured I could just do the nice gesture myself.” Jeff explained honestly. “Either way, I kind of want to eat a bit in my lunch. We good?”</p><p>“Yes, we’re good. But I’m telling you Jeff, take care of her. Or else the rest of us will hunt you down.” Britta said in a little warning to Jeff.</p><p>“Kind of what I was doing. But my lunch is practically calling out to me here, so I’ll talk some other time. Bye.” Jeff said, then hung up. He was hungry, and didn’t feel like dealing with assumptions and lack of faith in him right now. He brought up Annie’s text yet again, and looked over it. He read and re-read the last part, and felt his mood lighten yet again before he finally started to dig into his lunchbox.</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p>After he had eaten lunch in a hurry, he hurried back to the classroom to welcome back the third-year students. This time he wasn’t as early, and part of the class had already arrived before him, despite there being a few minutes until class begun. He shortly greeted the ones that were there, then sat down on his desk to bring up his plans for the next hour and a half on his computer. Once everybody was back, he rose up from his chair.</p><p>“Welcome back everyone, I hope you had a great summer. I’m sure you all know my name by now, if not then shame on you. This is Contractual Law 101. Today we’ll be starting by going over the syllabus and schedule for this programme. Some of you may I have gotten the book used by last year’s class, but I’m sorry to tell that I have decided to swap out the book for a better one. Trust me, the old one was garbage, so I did all of you a favor.” Jeff started to say, and the class knowingly nodded before Garrett raised his hand.</p><p>“Yes Garrett?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Why didn’t you inform us about the new book earlier?” Garrett asked Jeff.</p><p>“Well, if you paid attention to the digital information that I put out over the summer, then you would have known. Did you expect me to turn up on your door to tell you? That I would send you a personalized letter with the information? Come on Garrett.” Jeff responded with some snark. He could see Garrett’s wife whisper something in his ear right after he spoke, with Garrett’s mouth only forming an ‘o’ in response. </p><p>“I’m sure Stacy will gladly let you borrow until you get your own book.” Jeff added to Garrett for good measure. “Moving on. Does anyone here know what form a contract must be in to be legally binding?”</p><p>Jeff went on to have a good lecture, in which he was a bit more himself than with the first-year students. This group already knew him well enough, so they were aware that he did things his own way at times. Apart from Garrett, it seemed that everybody was aware of the new book too. He left Greendale feeling pretty good about the first day back. It wasn’t his favorite thing in the world to do, but he felt like he was getting pretty good at it. The students even seemed like they enjoyed that he was less uptight and more sociable than most other professors.</p><p>Back home, he made himself some dinner, then sat down to call up Annie. </p><p>“Good afternoon <em>Professor</em>.” She teasingly said once she picked up.</p><p>“Good afternoon Miss Edison.” Jeff returned, not missing a beat.</p><p>“How was your day?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Oh, nothing special. Woke up on the couch, realized I might need a longer one if I’m going to sleep there more often, then snuck around for a bit, careful not to wake up the sleeping beauty occupying my bed. Afterwards, I went to work, where some loudmouth blonde decided to call me twice during class. Turned her down the first time, then I picked up the second time to a barrage of shouting. Very interesting first day for the students, no doubt.” Jeff started retelling, poking some fun at the abnormality of his day so far.</p><p>“Well, I’m sure the sleeping beauty was very grateful for you letting her sleep. But the loudmouth blonde, I think I might know who that is. It was Britta, right?” Annie responded, sounding worried at the end.</p><p>“Yup, was Britta. Hung up on her again after telling her I was in class, then turned off the phone completely so I wouldn’t be disturbed again. Called her back up again in the break.” Jeff confirmed.</p><p>“What did she say? I heard her shout at you from my room, but I was changing out of my clothes so I couldn’t exactly interrupt her.” Annie asked carefully, as if she had an idea already. </p><p>“She thought we had slept together because you returned home doing what she called a ‘walk of shame’. Called me a man-child, among other things. Was very sweet of her. I explained the situation to her, offered for her to go check out the comforter thrown across my couch as proof, and she dropped it.” Jeff explained.</p><p>“Ugh. I can’t believe she did that just because my dress was wrinkly and my makeup was a bit messy when I got back. I didn’t have any spare clothes, and didn’t really hang around to clean up properly when I didn’t have clean clothes regardless.” Annie said with a sigh.</p><p>“It’s okay Annie. She just jumped to conclusions. Never mind that, how has your day been?” Jeff asked, wanting to change the subject.</p><p>“Well, I woke up in some bed I didn’t recognize. Panicked for a second, because I couldn’t remember laying down there. But then I saw this sweet letter on the nightstand that cleared up everything for me and calmed me right down again. I walked out into the living room, and saw that you had slept on the couch, which you didn’t really need to do.” Annie said, retelling her morning in that sweet voice Jeff loved to listen to.</p><p>“Figured you would be even more alarmed if you woke up with me alongside you, so was best that I took the couch.” Jeff added.</p><p>“That’s very sweet of you. Thank you again for taking care of me after I fell asleep.” Annie said with fondness in her voice.</p><p>“Of course, Annie. I’ll always take care of you.” Jeff said, and truly meant it.</p><p>“I just wish the rest could see that.” Annie said, and sighed.</p><p>“See what?”</p><p>“See this side of you, the one that cares so much. The one that’s so sweet and kind, and does everything he can to help out. The one who drives me to and from the airport, solves mysteries with me, helps me pick up my things and carries them up into my room, the one who lets me come inside when I show up uninvited, and gladly let me drink his wine and sleep over in his bed. I want people to see that, not just assume the worst about you every time because you haven’t been perfect in the past.” Annie said, rambling about all of the things Jeff did for her.</p><p>“It is what it is. I’ll just have to prove them wrong, I guess.” Jeff said, slightly resigned to people’s perception of him.</p><p>“Ugh, it just frustrates me, you know? You are so much more underneath that good-looking, smug exterior of yours.” Annie said, and he could hear her sigh in frustration. He imagined that expressive face of hers with a pouting face, looking sad as she said it. </p><p>“Annie, don’t worry too much about that, okay? I appreciate you noticing that I’m trying though, I do. But you didn’t finish your story. How was the rest of the day, outside of waking up in a bed smelling like me?” Jeff said, switching the subject once again.</p><p>“Well, the smell was very nice. Smelled like you had washed them, but still had a scent of you on them. Anyway, I went and checked out the fridge, and found some of your food. Surprisingly little beer in there. I took a box of your salad, and had that as my breakfast. Like I told you earlier, it was really good! I’d love to taste more of your cooking sometime.” Annie continued, picking up her retelling again.</p><p>“What about Wednesday?” Jeff interrupted to ask.</p><p>“What?” Annie asked, taken a bit out of her rhythm.</p><p>“What about dinner at my place, Wednesday night? I’d offer tonight, but I need to get to the gym, and I need to go shopping, and tomorrow I have a therapy session after work.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“Yeah, that sounds great! Any specific time?” Annie responded cheerfully.</p><p>“Does five work for you?” Jeff asked as a suggestion.</p><p>“Yep.” Annie confirmed.</p><p>“Then it’s a date.” Jeff said, not really thinking through his words before he said them. Silently, he gasped once he realized what he had just told her.</p><p>Annie giggled a bit at his sudden reaction. “It’s a date then. Any dress code for dates at Casa la Winger?” She asked, bringing Jeff back to reality again.</p><p>“Mmmm, normally no. But if you dress nicely, I promise to do the same.” Jeff said, hoping she would agree.</p><p>“I’ll figure something out.” Annie responded.</p><p>“Great! I’ll uhhh, talk to you then?” Jeff said, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. </p><p>“Okay, have a nice day!” Annie said cheerfully.</p><p>“Have a nice day, Annie.” Jeff tried to respond as calmly as he could, then ended the call.</p><p>Jeff put the phone down on his still messy table, and took a deep breath. He had just agreed to a date at his place, with <em>Annie</em>. He had even suggested it himself. He felt himself breathing quickly. This was getting serious, and quick. This time a day ago, they were just tip-toeing around their obvious feelings, and now they had kissed, Annie had spent the night there, and he had agreed to cook for her on a <em>date</em>.</p><p>He didn’t know if he was excited or terrified? Maybe both? Either way, he had to get going to the gym, and try to brainstorm what kind of dinner he could make her. Salad out of a plastic container obviously wouldn’t cut it even if she did like it. He went to the gym, but found himself too distracted to have a good session. In addition, the place was full of people, making him wait to use the equipment he wanted. He went home a bit disappointed, but started thinking about nice things he could make instead of mulling about the bad session.</p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p>The next day, he woke up at the same time as the day prior and with a plan in mind. He got up, readied himself a bit more loudly and less sneakily than the day before, and got ready for work. He only had one class that day, the second-year class of Constitutional Law, another subject that had been added to his plate. Thankfully his second day back was less eventful, with no texts from Britta, and after the one class was done, he fled the school in order to get on with his day. He hurried straight to the local megastore to pick up what he needed. He had spent the night before taking a page out of Annie’s book, trying to come up with something good that both of them would like that wouldn’t compromise his diet. To make that happen, he had made himself a shopping list of everything he needed to buy. Having spent an abnormally long time at the store, he drove back home, dropped off his things, then drove right off to the therapist.</p><p>After waiting around ten minutes, he was told that it was his turn. He stepped inside, his mind drifting back to that first day he had been back there in years earlier that summer. </p><p>“Welcome back Jeff.” His therapist greeted as Jeff stepped inside.</p><p>“Hello Mark.” Jeff returned, having become a bit more familiar with him over the past few months.</p><p>“How has the past week been?” Mark asked him, as he usually did.</p><p>“It’s been good, really good actually. I feel like things are becoming slightly clearer between me and Annie now.” Jeff said, his voice slightly surprised at his own admission.</p><p>“That’s great! Did anything in particular happen?” Mark asked, sounding happy for him.</p><p>“Well, you remember I mentioned that I helped her pick up her stuff the day after she returned, and that I had a disagreement with a common friend of ours the night Annie returned?” Jeff asked, just in case Mark didn’t remember. </p><p>Mark nodded. “I remember that, yes.”</p><p>“Well, we didn’t see each other for a few days after that, but Annie went to visit Frankie, the friend that I had a disagreement with. Annie really put her in her place, and actually stood up for me, which I really appreciated. Frankie called me later that day, and apologized to me for the way she spoke to me. I accepted it, even though I’m not exactly happy with her.” Jeff began explaining.</p><p>“That’s fantastic! Forgiving people instead of letting resentment grow inside of you is important, so it’s good that you were able to put that behind you. I’m sure that over time, you’ll learn to completely forgive her if she acts well. And it’s great that you had someone stand up for you, it’s okay to lean on your support systems when things are rough.” Mark excitedly said.</p><p>“Yes, it meant a lot to me. I didn’t really see my friends for a few days there, but Friday night Annie invited me over to hang out with her and Britta, her roommate and another close friend of mine, on Saturday night. So, I did, and we had a decent time watching a movie. However, Britta started teasing me and Annie at one point, which kind of made things awkward. The next day I didn’t really plan on doing anything, I had just been to the gym and then decided to spend the rest of the day at home to relax before my first day back at work. But then suddenly, Annie showed up at my door, looking absolutely fantastic. I let her in, obviously, and we hung out. We watched some things, and then one thing led to another, she started getting cuddly, and before we knew it we were kissing. And now I have a date at my place with her tomorrow.” Jeff said, and he couldn’t stop smiling at the end of it. </p><p>“Wow, that’s…great news! I’m really happy for you Jeff. I’m sure you’ll crush it.” Mark said, equally happy to see things looking up for Jeff.</p><p>“Oh yeah, she’s going to love it. Got the whole thing planned out.” Jeff said confidently.</p><p>“That’s good. It’s wonderful to hear that one of the things you were uncertain about seems to be working out so nicely. But I wanted to ask you about work. You said you returned there on Monday, how was that?” </p><p>“It was alright. I had some first-year students for the first time to begin the day, which is always interesting. I got phone call in class, actually, from Britta. I accepted it the second time around because she clearly wouldn’t stop calling. She absolutely killed me for like two seconds before I could interrupt her, tell her I was busy and hang up. So that was something. Called her up during my break and got things cleared up again, but the class seemed to have fun with it.” Jeff said with a slight chuckle.</p><p>“If I may ask, what was she so angry about?” Mark asked.</p><p>“She thought I had slept with Annie. You see, Annie hasn’t really been to my place alone before. And on Sunday night, she ended up staying over after she got a bit too much wine and ended up asleep in my lap. I took her to bed and tucked her in while taking the couch myself. But Britta thought I had slept with her, since she came back wearing the same clothes as the day before. I hadn’t, so I cleared that up, and things are fine on that front.” Jeff explained. He had gotten quite good at this opening up thing, he thought to himself as he explained all of that.</p><p>“Hm. It’s not exactly nice of her to jump to those kinds of conclusions.” Mark said, scribbling something down.</p><p>“No, but that’s Britta. She can be a bit judgemental, and sometimes that backfires when she doesn’t know the full story. We’re good though. We met due to me trying to hook up with her years ago, and there’s some history there, so she has her reasons for jumping to those conclusions. We’re good though.” Jeff said, indicating that it wasn’t a big issue for him. He had laughed at her for suggesting it, after all.</p><p>“Hm, okay. But how was work outside of that?” Mark asked.</p><p>“It was good. Had the third-year students after lunch yesterday, which is always fun. For the most part that’s the same group I started with when I first started, so I can do pretty much anything and they’ll still be fine with it.” Jeff said, laughing a bit.</p><p>“Anything?” Mark asked, looking at him quizzically.</p><p>“Well, not <em>anything</em>. But I’m a bit unconventional as a professor, and they’re fine with that it seems. The year on year retention has been really good.” Jeff clarified. “Anything, that was a bit of a sidebar. I had the second-year students earlier today, which was fine. Nice group. Nothing specific to report though. I went shopping after that, preparing for tomorrow, and then I went here.” </p><p>“Well, it does seem like things are looking up for you Jeff. I’m happy for you.” Mark said earnestly with a smile on his face.</p><p>“Yeah, about that. I’m thinking of cutting down on the amount of times I come in. I don’t necessarily think I need weekly sessions anymore.” Jeff said, and looked at Mark to gauge his reaction.</p><p>“I agree, I think you’re doing well. As a transition, we can do every other week, and if you feel like you’re doing well, then we can reduce it further to periodical check-ups or whenever you feel like you need it. Does that sound good to you?” Mark suggested in response.</p><p>Jeff nodded. “Yes, that sounds good. Probably easier on my wallet too.” </p><p>Mark chuckled, then responded. “Yes, it can get expensive at times sadly, so I completely understand that. But I genuinely think you are doing much better, so cutting down on the amount makes sense regardless.”</p><p>“Well, appears we are in agreement then.” Jeff said.</p><p>“Seems so. Unless you have something more you want to talk about, I think we might as well end early today.” Mark said, then waited for Jeff’s response.</p><p>“No, nothing that comes to mind.” Jeff said, and moved slightly on the couch, ready to get up again.</p><p>“Well, then I think we’ll see each other in two weeks. I’ll send you a reminder like usual.” Mark said.</p><p>“Alright, see you then. Have a nice day.” Jeff said, then got up to leave.</p><p>“Likewise, Jeff.” Mark responded right before Jeff left.</p><p>Jeff drove back home, determined to get the place ready for the next day. Instantly upon getting back, he picked up the wine glasses he had just pushed aside the day before and put them in the dishwasher. He started a proper cleaning project, wanting the place to be absolutely shining by the next day. If Jeff Winger was going to invite someone on a date, it was going to be absolutely amazing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Annie comes over to Jeff's for date night.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Today was the day. He was finally going to have Annie over at his place, knowing it ahead of time this time around. And they were going on a <em>date</em>. The prospect scared him more than he cared to admit. He had put on his confident façade for the therapist, even tried to convince himself everything would be okay, but internally he felt like exploding. Jeff walked to the bathroom, turned on the sink, and threw some water in his face. He looked up again, staring at his own reflection in the mirror. “You’re doing this, Jeff.” He told himself, and slammed his fist on the sink for good measure, then instantly regretted it. His hand hurt slightly, but he was ready to face the day.</p><p>He walked out into the living room, scooped up his gym-bag, and headed out the door. Wednesday was a day off for him, so he actually had the chance to work out in the morning at least once a week. He went fairly easy on himself this time, wanting to get a session in without wearing himself out for later. He’d be a pretty useless cook if he couldn’t move his arms later, after all. He was in and out of there within the hour, then drove himself back to the apartment to shower. He still had hours left, yet the date was the only thing on his mind.</p><p>Jeff cleaned himself up, applied his facial care, and got dressed in some casual clothing. He’d change into something fancier later on. He went out into the living room, and just…. stopped. He didn’t really know what he would do. It was four hours until Annie was supposed to arrive, and he had no idea what to do. Instead of just standing around, he started cleaning. He had cleaned off every table top and the sofa cushions the day before, but realized he should clean the floor. He brought out all the washing equipment he had, and got started. The wine stain on his carpet? Gone. Dust behind the tv? Vanished. It took him a good hour, but the place definitely looked cleaner. At least if you knew where the dirt was previously.</p><p>He went to the fridge, and did a check. He had everything he needed for later, nothing was missing. Realizing that he had nothing to do, he decided to shoot Annie a text to ask about something.</p><p><em>Hey, how are you getting here later?</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger 2:21 PM</p><p>He pocked his phone, and went to his bedroom to make his bed just to have something to distract himself with. He pulled off the sheets yet again, and threw it in the laundry basket in the bathroom before putting on some completely fresh ones and making it look completely flawless. Annie had already seen his place in its natural state a few days earlier, yet his brain was telling him that this time, it had to be perfect. If anything, the sentiment was worth something, she’d notice that he had put in the extra effort.</p><p>He could barely believe himself when he thought that. Jeff Winger the lawyer would laugh at him. Imagine caring about sentiment, or what others thought about him? Women were for hooking up at the bar with, then abandoning the morning after. Not <em>this</em>. Not this mushy stuff he was doing now. But he had changed, and Annie had been an instrumental part in that change. She was idealistic, hardworking, sweet and kind, the type of woman he would have loathed in the past. Yet she had pulled him in, charmed him without really trying, and never let him go. Behind the sweet school girl exterior she had exuded early on, she had shown him this fun and quirky side of her, and once he saw it, he hadn’t been able to let go. </p><p>He even started to adore the things about her that made him roll his eyes at her initially. The idealism, the hard work, her sweetness and kindness made him melt by now. It was incredible to him, how someone who had been through so much could come out at the other end so incredibly good and positive. She made him want to be like her. The part of him that wanted to cruise through life with minimal effort and never investing into anything real was starting to lose out. The side that saw Annie as someone to aspire to be like was starting to take over now, and he was trying, he really was. </p><p>Jeff was completely lost in his own thoughts when suddenly, he felt the phone buzz in his pocket.</p><p><em>Plan is to take the bus! There’s one that will get me there around 5:03. What about it?</em><br/>
-Cute Doe Eyes 2:33 PM</p><p>Jeff decided to respond immediately.</p><p><em>If you want, I can pick you up? Dinner obviously won’t be ready on arrival if I do, but you’ll save the trouble of taking the bus.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger 2:34 PM</p><p><em>That would be really nice!</em><br/>
-Cute Doe Eyes 2:35 PM</p><p><em>Okay, I’ll pick you up at 4:45 then</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger 2:36 PM</p><p>Excitedly, Jeff put his phone down, his mind counting down the minutes. Only 129 minutes until he would be there. Part of him wondered what the rest of the group would think if they knew about this. He knew Britta was okay with it, apart from being a bit overly protective about Annie and not always the most positive towards him. She hadn’t shot it completely down, however. Abed most likely approved. He had been very subtly pushing them towards each other in the past, and acknowledged and pointed out their connection. If he didn’t approve, he likely would have said so. </p><p>Troy was hard to know. He was roughly the same age as Annie, but he’d also willingly dated Britta without Jeff objecting even once. Most likely he would accept it like the generally positive person he was. Shirley most likely wouldn’t. She had communicated her disapproval of them in the past, so she was probably the last person he would tell. Frankie likewise had reluctantly accepted what was going on, though she probably didn’t approve but just couldn’t say so anymore without enraging Annie.</p><p>But why should he care about what the others thought? He wanted this, and it wasn’t about him wanting Annie because she was younger. It never was. He wanted Annie because she was Annie, and she’s amazing. This whole time, he had been holding himself back, to taking what he wanted because he wanted to protect her. All he wanted was for her to avoid making a mistake, to make sure he couldn’t drag her down. But he couldn’t do that any longer. Annie was her own person, and her opinion mattered just as much as his own in this matter. If she wanted this too, then screw everybody else. </p><p>At 4:30, he was finally off, his mind still racing. He had changed into some nicer clothes, one of his finer pair of dark pants and a freshly ironed light-blue shirt for the occasion. The food was ready for him once he returned, as were the drinks. He shot Annie a text to let her know he was on his way, then drove off to 303. He arrived there fashionably early, with five minutes to spare, and saw that Annie had acknowledged that he was on the way. </p><p><em>Okay. I’ll come down to you so we won’t have to deal with Britta’s comments.</em><br/>
-Cute Doe Eyes 4:33 PM</p><p>At 4:43 he saw a nervous looking Annie in his rear-view mirror, peeking out of the doorway to the apartment complex, looking around until she saw his car. He contemplated getting out of the car to be all romantic and open the door for her, but it seemed like she was in a hurry to get in. Likely due to Britta, he mused to himself. Annie walked up to the passenger side dressed in the same coat he had seen on Sunday, and opened the door.</p><p>“Hey!” She greeted happily, and sat inside.</p><p>“Hello there, funny we should meet here.” Jeff joked back to her, to which Annie simply pushed him lightly in the shoulder. “You ready to go?” He added.</p><p>“Yup, excited to finally try out your cooking!” Annie replied cheerfully, flashing him an excited smile.</p><p>“Oh, it’ll blow you away. But did you follow the dress code?” Jeff asked, and studied her carefully. Her coat covered pretty much everything, but he could see her legs, like last time, and he noticed that she had put on a tiny bit of makeup, but not too much. </p><p>“Hmm, you’ll see once we get there. Bit underwhelming to reveal my outfit while sitting in a car, isn’t it?” Annie said, and he couldn’t help but notice her teasing him, trying to build up some anticipation. As if he hadn’t been looking forward to this for the past two days.</p><p>“If you say so.” Jeff said, and turned the ignition on and put the car in gear.</p><p>“I must say though, the light blue shirt and dark pants combination is really good.” Annie said, with her eyes studying him.</p><p>“Tried and true classic, Annie. Besides, wearing a suit at home felt like a bit much.” Jeff responded while reversing the car out of the parking spot.</p><p>“Hm. True, but I wouldn’t mind.” Annie said, her mind most likely imagining him in a suit.</p><p>They chatted lightly through the short trip back to his place, where he parked and got out of the car. This time he intended to actually open the door for her, but Annie got out at the same time as him, ruining the chance for the nice gesture. They walked up to his apartment door, where Annie remembered something. </p><p>“Oh, before I forget. Here.” She said, and pulled out his spare key from her purse.</p><p>“Oh, thanks. But you can keep it.” Jeff said, his eyes drifting towards Craig’s door.</p><p>“Jeff, is this your way of letting me have a key to your place? Because it’s very sweet, but don’t you think you should have a spare yourself?” Annie questioned, looking at him a bit puzzled.</p><p>“Annie, I’ve had that key hidden away inside the apartment. As spare keys go, it’s been pretty useless to me, and wouldn’t actually be of any use if I got locked out somehow. You can keep it if you want to, that way I’m not totally screwed if I get locked out.” Jeff said, his voice slightly lowered, his eyes quickly peeking behind Annie for a brief second.</p><p>“Oh, right. I’ll do that then.” Annie said, the reason why dawning upon her. She placed the key back in a pocket in her purse, and Jeff turned back to his door, unlocking it with his own key. He opened the door, the stepped aside, determined to do at least one sweet gesture before she entered. </p><p>“Milady.” He said with a smile, and gestured for her to enter first. </p><p>“Milord.” She returned with a smile of her own, and reached out her hand to him for him to kiss, which he gladly did. Annie walked inside, with Jeff following shortly after her. They took off their shoes, and Jeff stepped inside, seeing as Annie was going to take off her coat. He couldn’t help but be curious about her outfit after she refused to show him earlier, after all.</p><p>Annie took off her coat with her back turned to him, and Jeff saw a sleeveless green dress, which covered her shoulders and her back. It fit perfectly around her waist, and flowed more freely around her thighs and down to her knees. Then she turned around innocently, knowing that he was watching. The dress was similar at the front, reaching all the way to her shoulders, but with a V-neck opening revealing just enough to practically make Jeff’s jaw drop off. His eyes studied her closely, seeing the gorgeous brunette in front of him, her hair flowing freely by her sides like he loved, with no more makeup than needed, and a dress picked just for him, which was making containing himself increasingly difficult.</p><p>“What do you think?” Annie asked with a gleeful smile on her face – she already knew the answer.</p><p>“Annie…you look absolutely stunning. Beautiful. Wow.” Jeff said, almost struggling to get words out at the sight of her while is eyes drifted up and down her in admiration.</p><p>“Thank you.” Annie responded somewhat shyly, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear, and smiling a bit to herself. She had just broken Jeff Winger.exe, yet again. “Now, I heard talk about dinner?” She asked, breaking Jeff from her spell.</p><p>“Right. I’ll get started right away.” Jeff said, shaking his head slightly to get his focus back. He headed right to the kitchen, and brought out everything he needed from the fridge. Behind him, Annie came walking into the kitchen.</p><p>“So, what has Chef Winger got planned tonight?” She said in a curious tone he could swear was slightly flirty too.</p><p>“No peeking, Annie.” Jeff responded, and purposefully put his body between her and the food.</p><p>“Jeeeeff…” Annie groaned.</p><p>“You’ll see it once it’s ready. Go make yourself comfortable meanwhile, okay?” Jeff said, and turned around to see Annie pouting at him with wide eyes. “Your eyes can’t defeat me this time. Go, mi casa es su casa.” He said, and leaned down to kiss her forehead, before turning his focus back to the food.</p><p>Annie did as he said this time, and sat herself down on the couch to wait. Jeff started preparing the food, then came walking out to her with a glass of wine. </p><p>“Here. Something while you wait.” He said, and offered the glass to her, which she gladly accepted.</p><p>“Mmm, same as last time! Good choice.” Annie mused after taking a sip.</p><p>“Don’t drink too much! Preferable if you can taste the food later.” Jeff warned, point a finger at her to emphasize the point.</p><p>“Better hurry it up then.” Annie responded, rolling her eyes at him.</p><p>Jeff returned to the kitchen, where the frying pan had gotten sufficiently warm. He started preparing the meal, going in great detail to season it just right. After 15 minutes, it was finally ready, and he carried two plates out to his dining room table, where he had already readied the rest of the table, including cutlery and two wine-glasses. He had even gone out of his way to buy some candles for the occasion.</p><p>He walked back to the living room, where Annie was on her phone to pass the time. He grabbed a bottle of wine. “Now, the dinner is ready. Follow me.” He announced, causing Annie to jump up from her seat. She followed him to the adjacent dining room, where Jeff pulled out a chair for her. “Have a seat.” Jeff said, and Annie did as he said. </p><p>“Wow, Jeff, this looks incredible! Did you make all of this?” Annie said excitedly as Jeff sat down, looking at the dish Jeff had prepared. He had made them both tenderloin steak, with asparagus, creamed spinach, cherry tomatoes and béarnaise sauce, with a side-dish of wedge salad. </p><p>“Yup. Prepared the salad earlier, made the rest while you were waiting.” Jeff confirmed confidently. He just hoped she’d like the taste as much as the look of it.</p><p>“Jeff, you didn’t have to do all of this.” Annie said with a touched voice, while gesturing out to the dimly lit room, with candles illuminating them both. She sounded in awe, like it was almost a bit too much to take in.</p><p>“Annie, of course I did. You deserve all of this; it was the least I could do to make the night great.” Jeff said honestly, looking right into her eyes. She looked so happy, and he swore he could see tears forming in the corner of her eye. </p><p>“This is just so sweet, Jeff. Thank you, really. This is so nice of you; I don’t even know what to say…” She continued, her voice choking slightly. </p><p>“You don’t need to do anything, Annie. Let’s just eat, before your mascara gets ruined.” He said, trying to lighten the mood a little again. </p><p>Annie picked up the napkin he had placed her cutlery on, and dried her eyes quickly, and sniffled. “Yeah, let’s do that.” She managed to say with a slight smile.</p><p>Annie started eating, with Jeff following shortly after her. He knew he shouldn’t, but he couldn’t help but look at her as she took a bite of the various things, just to try to see if she liked it or not. After trying a bit of everything, Annie finally spoke again.</p><p>“Mmm, this is really good! Is this all allowed in your diet?” Annie asked, noting the uncommon side-dishes he had provided to the steak.</p><p>“Correct. I learned a few tricks to make the diet easier to live with. I can eat meat for example, but it’s about finding low-carb side-dishes that taste well. But with a few tricks you can make pretty much everything good.” Jeff confirmed, offering some insight while he was at it.</p><p>“It’s pretty great actually. I’m used to just having fries with my steak, didn’t realize that you could make all of this so good.” Annie explained, explaining her own usual habits. “By the way, did you make the salad yourself?” </p><p>“Mixed it together myself, yes.” Jeff confirmed with a nod.</p><p>“Huh. When did you learn to cook this well?” Annie asked, looking at him curiously.</p><p>“You learn a few tricks when you make your own food and live on a diet for years.” Jeff said with a shrug. </p><p>“Why didn’t you ever tell us?” Annie asked, and Jeff assumed that he referred to the group.</p><p>“And have all of you expect that I cook for you sometime? Never. Count yourself lucky Annie, my cooking is reserved for very few people.” Jeff said with a smug grin on his face. “By the way, you should try the wine.”</p><p>“Different one?” Annie asked, referring to the one she drank earlier and last time she was over.</p><p>“Yes, needed something a bit different for this dish.” Jeff said, and took a sip himself.</p><p>Annie mimicked him, and took a sip. ”Hm, it’s not as good as the other one, but I think you’re right that it fits better.” Annie said in agreement, stirring her glass a little.</p><p>They continued eating after that, both of them enjoying the food and wine while idly chatting about their past few days. After they both felt sufficiently full, Jeff carried the empty plates out to the kitchen. He peeked back into the dining room, and spoke. “Want to move to the living room?”</p><p>“Sure.” Annie said, turning around to face him as she did. She stood up and went out into the living room just as Jeff entered the kitchen. He stuck his head out over the counter to tell her something. “Just have a seat, I’ll be right there.” </p><p>“Got fancy plans in the kitchen?” Annie called out to him as she sat down on the couch.</p><p>“You’ll see.” Jeff responded, the freezer muffling his voice slightly. Moments later, he came back with a second wine glass to accompany the one Annie had left on the table earlier, and the bottle of wine he had served her with pre-dinner.</p><p>“I hope you didn’t just pull the wine out of the freezer, Jeff?” Annie laughed, having seen him look inside there moments earlier.</p><p>“Hah, no. I have something else for you, just need to wait a few minutes.” Jeff responded back with a shake of his head and a smile. He sat down beside her, and poured both a glass each. </p><p>“Jeff Winger, are you trying to get me drunk?” Annie asked, tilting her head.</p><p>Jeff narrowed his eyes at her in response. “No, I’m just offering you good drinks and food. If I wanted you drunk, feeding you would be very counterproductive.” </p><p>“Hmmm, true. I must admit that you were right though.” Annie said, and took a sip.</p><p>“Oh?” Jeff responded, not catching on to what she meant.</p><p>“You are really good at finding good wine.” She said, smiling widely at him. </p><p>“What can I say? I actually paid attention in that class.” Jeff said with a smile in return.</p><p>“I’m proud of you Jeff.” Annie said, trying to appear serious, but failed immediately after saying it, ending up a slight fit of laughter at his nonsense.</p><p>“Thanks Annie, that means a lot.” Jeff said, gracefully ignoring that she couldn’t keep a straight face after saying it. “But hold your proudness for a moment, be back right away.” He added, then stood up and walked back to the kitchen.</p><p>He came back half a minute later carrying two bowls, and offered one to Annie along with a spoon. Annie looked down at the contents of the bowl confused. “Ice cream and brownies? Aren’t you on a diet, Jeff?” She said with a snort.</p><p>“Low-carb ice cream and self-made healthy brownies. Trust me, it still tastes good.” Jeff responded.</p><p>“Self-made brownies? Wow, I really need to try this.” Annie said, and dipped the brownie into the vanilla ice cream and took a bite. “Hmmm. It’s a bit different, bit it’s still really good.” Annie hummed in appreciation, and took another bite.</p><p>“Glad to hear it.” Jeff said, then starting eating some of his own dessert. They ate in silence until both of their bowls were empty. Annie put hers on the table, and Jeff turned to her. “Want a second serving?” </p><p>“No thank you. It was really good, but I think I’m full.” Annie said, and held her stomach.</p><p>“Alright. I’ll go put the ice cream back.” Jeff said, then stood up, picked up her bowl and returned to the kitchen. He returned moments later, and sat back down alongside Annie again, who was sitting straight up and down. Annie looked away, then down at her feet, her hands resting on her legs. Jeff looked at her, worried. She looked like she was thinking, like she had something to say. </p><p>Suddenly, she turned around to him, and Jeff felt his breath hitch. “Jeff, I just want to….I just want to say thank you for this.” She opened, and Jeff let out his breath.</p><p>“This has been so sweet, and I can barely believe you did all of this for me. I was the girl nobody wanted in high school, the addict that my family rejected. Then I ended up with you guys, this weird, sweet group that fights constantly, but somehow still loves each other, and cared so much for me. But nobody has ever done <em>this</em> for me. Nobody has treated me like I’m the only one in the world that matters. You’d think that my family would do that, right? But they didn’t. Not even Vaughn did that, no matter how sweet and nice he was to me. But he loved hackey-sack more than he ever loved me. And my family, well, I’m not sure they ever did. But you, no matter how confusing and weird you’ve been, you’ve always been there for me. And only for me. And then you did this. You went so far out of your way just to make this night so perfect, and I’m so incredibly grateful for that. Thank you, Jeff.” She continued, her eyes blinking quickly by the end, tears forming and starting to slowly pour down her cheek.</p><p>Jeff leaned over, and wiped away the tear on her cheek with his thumb, holding her face gently in his hands for a few seconds, staring into her wet eyes. He let go, then reached down to hold her hands in his. “Annie.” He began softly, trying to collect his thoughts into something comprehendible.</p><p>“You deserve every single bit of this. You deserve this, because you are the single best person I’ve ever met. You work harder than everybody else, you care so much, you are so kind and gentle, while also making me laugh all the time. Having you in my life makes it so infinitely much better. You’re my favorite person in the world, Annie. And it’s not even close. I could never make a list like you to organize my favorite people. Because it’s you, my mom, and then everybody else in a distant, insignificant third. I don’t understand why your family did what they did. I probably never will, and on your behalf, I hate all of them. As for Vaughn, you know what I thought about him. While we’re at it, add that jerk Noah too, I dislike him too for making things uncomfortable for you, and for not seeing the benefit of at least being your friend. I don’t get what any of them were thinking, because this is only a fraction of what you deserve. You deserve everything in the world, Annie. Because you are worth it, and I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Sorry about what?” Annie asked with a sniffle.</p><p>“I’m sorry that I didn’t do this sooner, that I wasn’t honest with you when I should have been. I’ve been such an idiot, for so long. I’m in love with you Annie. I have been for a long time, and I’m sorry for not telling you that.” Jeff said, his eyes drifting down into his own hands at first, before looking up to see what Annie would say.</p><p>“Jeff….how long have you known?” Annie asked with a broken voice.</p><p>“I think I’ve known for sure since Borchert’s. You opened that door, Annie. I wasn’t thinking of anyone else. It was you, and nobody else. I thought about all of our moments together, our little gesture that is just ours, and how much you mean to me. And it opened the door. But I probably subconsciously did for far longer.” Jeff said honestly, and part of him was scared. Scared she wasn’t going to tell it back to him, that she appreciated the gesture but just didn’t feel as strongly.</p><p>“Since Borchert’s? Why didn’t you tell me?” Annie asked in slight shock at the revelation</p><p>“Because I’m an idiot. I would rather beat myself up than face reality and tell you, because some part of me thought I was protecting you from me.” Jeff said, feeling bad about it all.</p><p>“I don’t need protection, Jeff.” Annie said with a tinge of disappointment.</p><p>“I know that now, and I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Annie, I…I love you Annie. I love you so much, more than I’ve felt for anything else in my life.” Jeff said, holding her hands tightly and looking intently into her eyes.</p><p>“Jeff….I love you too.” Annie said back, looking right back into his own blue eyes, a slight smile forming on her face.</p><p>“You do?” Jeff asked, not sure he caught that right.</p><p>“Yes, you idiot. I love y-“ Annie said, but was interrupted by Jeff’s lips clashing with hers, shutting her up instantly. This wasn’t the tender kiss of a few days prior; this was urgent and passionate, their lips connected for a few sweet seconds before they parted with eyes closed and smiles on their faces.</p><p>“I love you, Jeff.” Annie said, staring deep into his eyes before meeting his lips once again, more tender and softer, but still passionate and full of emotion. She tasted like ice cream and wine, but most importantly she tasted like <em>Annie</em>, her lips fitting so perfectly with his as their lips danced together in a sweet, loving tango. This time, Jeff decided to go deeper, and Annie gladly gave him access, turning the sweet kiss into a flustered make-out, with Annie collapsing with her back on the couch, giving Jeff free reign to let out all the kisses he had held in all this time. They parted a bit later, both out of breath and staring into each other’s eyes with wide smiles and their foreheads together.</p><p>Jeff pushed himself up again moments later, before his weight would crush Annie underneath him. They both sat up, and sat there, awkwardly grinning at each other. “So…” Annie began.</p><p>“So…” Jeff mimicked. </p><p>“I guess we’re both idiots, huh? Annie said, laughing a bit.</p><p>“Seems so.” Jeff agreed, his face failing to hide his happiness.</p><p>“But this brings a big question.” Annie said, her eyes flickering away from his for a second.</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“Where do we go from here?” Annie asked, turning back to him.</p><p>“The only way we can, I think.” Jeff returned, feeling like it was a given.</p><p>“You’re not going to run this time?” Annie asked, looking at him seriously.</p><p>“I’m done running, Annie. I’m done lying to myself and you. I’m yours if you want me.” Jeff said, looking back at her with earnest eyes. He knew he had fucked up in the past, ran away the second they had a moment where things could have gotten serious. She had a good reason to be unsure.</p><p>“That’s good, because I do.” Annie said, seemingly taking his word for it as she leaned forward and gave him a quick peck on the mouth.</p><p>The pair ended up turning it into a more normal night after that, settling down to binge through episodes of Narcos, which Annie had caught up on in the days prior. After a few episodes, Jeff offered a refill of ice cream and brownies, and Annie accepted, while they kept sipping away at what had to be Annie’s new favorite wine. Annie soon found herself snuggled up to Jeff’s shoulder yet again, not in need of warmth, but simply because she wanted to. </p><p>After a while, Jeff could sense that Annie was starting to get restless beside him. She was moving around a bit, and seemed to be getting slightly restless. “Annie, are you okay?” He asked, turning around to face her properly.</p><p>“I’m fine, it’s just. You know what, screw it.” Annie started, then rapidly closed the gap between them, attacking his lips ferociously. She kissed him hard, hungrily, and this time it was Jeff falling over, his back leaned against the armrest and pillows behind him. Annie quickly moved onto his lap, straddling him, her hands holding onto his head as she kept kissing him, while Jeff’s arms slipped further down her back, with a moan escaping his mouth. </p><p>“Annie.” Jeff got out in between kisses. “Annie!” He repeated more determined, trying to get her attention. And it did, Annie stopped and looked at him. “Do you want to…move this elsewhere?”</p><p>Annie nodded, and a big smile appeared on her face.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>You may notice that I ended the chapter a little abruptly at the end there. However, don't worry. I might have a little something on the way that won't be part of the fic itself, but will be in the series and connected to the fic. I'll make sure to link that here once it's done. :D</p><p>Edit: link to the missing part of the chapter here (warning: explicit content): https://archiveofourown.org/works/25563823</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff and Annie wake up the morning after their date.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The morning after, Jeff woke up with memories of the night before still fresh on his mind. He remembered having Annie over for dinner, finally telling her what he should have done a long time ago, only for her to say it back to him, followed by lots of kissing, and some other activities. It was quite possibly his favorite day ever. The day he finally got what he had refused himself for years, when he finally got Annie. It felt like a vivid dream. Like it was too perfect to be true.</p><p>“Good morning sleepyhead.” He suddenly heard a raspy morning voice say. Jeff turned to face the voice, and found Annie lying there, looking at him.</p><p>“Good morning beautiful.” He returned, his eyes giving her that fond, loving look that he reserved only for her. “Slept well?”</p><p>“I did. Your bed is very comfortable, think I prefer it to my own actually.” Annie said happily.</p><p>“Can only have the best when you want to look like me.” Jeff said confidently, to which Annie just pushed his shoulder and shook her head with a smile. “Been awake long?”</p><p>“Not too long. Maybe like ten minutes?” Annie answered, not entirely sure herself.</p><p>“Didn’t have to wait for me to wake up, you know.” </p><p>“I know, but you looked so peaceful there. I liked it, it’s good seeing you less tense. And besides, I can sleep in every now and then.” Annie said, her voice completely calm and at peace with the situation.</p><p>“You look quite good in my bed yourself. No stress headaches, no work or assignment bothering you. I like seeing you work, but seeing you happy and relaxed is much better.” Jeff revealed with a loving tone, his eyes looking so deep into hers. They laid there for a bit, just looking at each other. Neither could really believe that they were lying there in the same bed, finally being so honest and loving with each other. The barriers they had put up between each other had been broken down, and now they just had an overflow of affection to deal with.</p><p>“How much is the time, anyway?” Jeff suddenly asked, bringing them both out of their spell.</p><p>Annie turned around, and looked at his nightstand. “According to your alarm clock, it’s currently 9:17 AM. Why, do you need to get up?” Annie replied while turning back around to him.</p><p>“Nah. I have work at 12, but it’s no rush. What about you, got anywhere you need to be?” Jeff said, seemingly happy with her answer.</p><p>“No, not really. I guess I’ll take the bus back home before Britta gets worried and calls the cops though.” Annie said, her mind drifting off to what her roommate might think.</p><p>“How about this; we get up, eat breakfast and get ready for the day, and then I drive you home on my way to work.” Jeff suggested, really hoping she would say yes, so they could enjoy their morning bliss a little bit longer.</p><p>“Yeah, that sounds nice.” Annie said in agreement, and smiled happily at him once again. He would never get tired of that smile.</p><p>After relaxing for ten minutes more at the suggestion of Jeff, the two finally got out of bed. Jeff only wearing his briefs, while Annie had borrowed an oversized t-shirt to sleep in. After sharing a quick good morning kiss, with Annie tip-toeing up to meet him and Jeff leaning down with his hand tangled in her soft hair, Jeff suggested a shower. After sharing the shower only for the purpose of saving water (Britta would be proud of their environmental efforts, Annie had said to the amusement of Jeff), they got dressed in some more clothes, ready to enjoy breakfast.</p><p>Jeff made them both bacon and eggs for breakfast, while Annie sat down on the couch to check her phone, which she had left there the night before. After five minutes, breakfast was ready, and Jeff carried two plates out to the dining room, where the decorations from the night before still stood. Annie came walking in once she realized it was ready.</p><p>“I don’t have any bread, hope that’s okay for you.” Jeff apologized, seeing as his habits for bacon and eggs were a bit out of the norm.</p><p>“I’ll be fine. Thank you for making breakfast.” Annie responded cheerfully, simply happy that he was being so sweet and caring.</p><p>“You seemed quite focused there, lots of messages to reply to since last night?” Jeff asked after they had begun eating, referring to Annie sitting on the couch, her brow furrowed as she wrote on her phone.</p><p>“Oh. Uh, wasn’t that many. Britta sent one last night wondering if I was coming back, and then one later asking if I needed a ride back home when she was done at work. I also had one from Anthony, he was wondering if I would attend his birthday this year.” Annie explained honestly.</p><p>“Anthony?” Jeff asked, slightly lost.</p><p>Annie took a sip of the orange juice Jeff had provided them both, then replied. “My brother.” Annie clarified.</p><p>That made something click in Jeff’s mind. “Oh, right. How are you guys these days?” He asked, recalling the strained relationship there in the past.</p><p>“Not great. I still don’t like that he didn’t try to stay in contact with me after I left. I like to think that I was a nice sister to him, so it’d be nice if he at least tried. I get that he was in a difficult spot due to my parents, but it’d be nice to know that he tried, you know?” Annie revealed, her face frowning slightly at the memories.</p><p>Realizing that it was a touchy subject, Jeff decided he wouldn’t prod further about the past. “Right. What do you think you’ll do?”</p><p>“I don’t know. I told him I’d think about it. It’s not him I’m avoiding, really.” Annie said, her eyes drifting a bit away.</p><p>“I get it if you don’t want to. I would never ever show up anywhere where my dad would be either.” Jeff said honestly. He felt like he could understand here animosity towards her family. Their situations weren’t the same, but he could relate to the resentment abandonment could cause.</p><p>“What about your mom, how is she?” Annie asked while cutting a slice of bacon for herself, her eyes meeting Jeff’s at the end of the sentence.</p><p>“She’s great. We speak now and then. Things are a bit easier between us now. There were periods where we didn’t really talk though, because of me. But things are good now.” Jeff explained to Annie, realizing he had been fairly tight-lipped about his mother in the past.</p><p>“What’s she like?” Annie asked as a follow-up.</p><p>“She’s very nice, and she cares a lot. Had a lot to deal with as a single mom, but she stuck through it, and didn’t give up on me even when I became a selfish jerk. So, I appreciate that about her, I just wish I was better to her earlier.” Jeff said, and his face dropped a bit in regret.</p><p>“Hey.” Annie said, and reached out her hand to cover his, causing Jeff to look back up into her eyes. “I’m sure she’s happy to know that you’re doing better. And she loves you no matter what. That’s the most important part.” She said, reassuring him.</p><p>“She’d really like you; you know.” Jeff smiled lightly at her.</p><p>“You think so?” Annie said, tilting her head a bit at his comment.</p><p>“I know so.” Jeff said instantly, without a doubt in his mind. He didn’t want to introduce Annie just yet, but once he did, he knew his mom would absolutely adore Annie. Because who in their right mind didn’t adore her?</p><p>They fell into comfortable silence after that, both finishing up their breakfast before Jeff carried the dishes out into the kitchen, declining Annie’s offer to help out. They took turns getting ready for the day in the bathroom, Jeff going first to get his skincare and hair ready, before Annie did the bare minimum she could be bothered to do. Jeff changed into something more suitable for work while Annie was in the bathroom, and Annie came out to see him completely re-dressed.</p><p>“Oh, hey there handsome.” She quipped as soon as she saw him dressed in his classic jeans and shirt combination.</p><p>“Hey there gorgeous, fancy seeing you here.” Jeff returned with a sly smile.</p><p>“Hm, guess I should change back to my own clothes. Oversized t-shirt and some rolled up sweatpants that definitely doesn’t fit me isn’t exactly a good look.” Annie said, and picked up her dress again. Jeff had picked it up for her and put it on a hanger for her on the wardrobe door earlier, so it wouldn’t get all wrinkly.</p><p>“I think it looks good on you.” Jeff said, and chuckled slightly.</p><p>“You do not.” Annie countered, narrowing her eyes at him.</p><p>“I do. But you don’t need to change just for a drive back to the apartment. You can borrow my clothes so you don’t need to fit back into your dress for a ten-minute drive.” Jeff said.</p><p>“You sure?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Yeah. Let me go get a bag for the dress.” Jeff said, and walked off to the kitchen. He came back half a minute later with a big plastic bag, and put it on the bed. He took the dress from Annie’s hands, and removed the hanger, before neatly folding the dress together to fit it in the bag. He handed the bag to Annie, and gave some instructions. “Be gentle with the bag, and then take it out of it as soon as you get back. Don’t want it to get wrinkly or show signs of where it’s been folded.”</p><p>“Okay, I’ll do that. Thanks.” Annie said, for once grateful that Jeff cared so much about clothes.</p><p>They were off ten minutes later, with 45 minutes until Jeff had to go to work. Annie sat beside him in the passenger seat, with her dress and his work-bag in the backseats. Suddenly, Annie perked up to ask Jeff something she had been wondering about. “Jeff, can I ask you something?”</p><p>“Sure, anything.” Jeff replied, internally hoping she wasn’t going to ask anything difficult.</p><p>“I just remember something Britta said a few times, and something you said yourself. That you didn’t make eye contact and didn’t really show any interest in anyone but yourself during sex. But last night, you were so sweet and caring, it was nothing like what I had heard. Why is that?” Annie asked him directly, looking right at him as he focused on the road ahead.</p><p>“Asking about sex while I’m driving. Bold move, Annie, very bold.” Jeff laughed; his eyes peeled on the road.</p><p>“Can you just answer my question?” Annie pushed, wanting an answer.</p><p>Jeff took a deep breath, then responded. “This is different, Annie. You always meant more to me, even when I wasn’t ready to admit it. What Britta and I had; it wasn’t anything real. It was two people with no chemistry getting ourselves off. There was no love there, and we both knew that. It was just practical, because we didn’t have to go out of our way to find someone else. But I don’t want that with you. I don’t want some casual sexual relationship. I want more. I always wanted more with you.” He explained, carefully picking his words to make sure she understood.</p><p>“I see.” Annie said, her mind still taking in the info he had just presented to her.</p><p>“Annie, you don’t have to worry about me and Britta. I promise you that. I swear to you, there is nothing there. We made some dumb mistakes in the past, and I hurt you. I can’t reverse that, and I’m sorry that I hurt you. But what I told you last night, that I want to do this right, that you deserve everything, and that I love you, I meant all of it. There is nobody else, Annie. I wanted to do it right, because that’s what you deserve. Yes, in the past I’ve been more focused on making myself feel good, but I don’t want that with you.” Jeff said, and keeping his eyes on the road was starting to become more and more difficult. He wanted to look at her, see deep into those blue eyes he adored so much, and tell her just how sure he was about her.</p><p>“Jeff…thank you. That’s very sweet of you. I enjoyed it a lot, you know. I’m glad we’re doing this.” Annie said, and smiled slightly at him. Jeff turned to her for a brief second, returning the look. </p><p>“I am too.” Jeff returned, holding back from telling her how much happier he was now compared to just a few weeks earlier. This had eased a part of his mind that had been weighing him down for ages, and now suddenly he was looking forward to the future.</p><p>A few minutes later they arrived at the parking lot outside of apartment 303. “So, we’re here.” Jeff exclaimed after stopping the car a few yards away from entrance.</p><p>“Yeah.” Annie said, a bit absentmindedly. </p><p>“Hey, are you okay?” Jeff asked, looking at her worried.</p><p>“Yeah, I am. Just thinking, I guess.” Annie said, turning around to meet his worried look.</p><p>“Penny for your thoughts?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“I just enjoyed the last day a lot. Feels odd to go back up there to be questioned by Britta, and to go apply for more jobs, you know. I just don’t have a lot to do lately, and it’s messing with my mind. Was nice to have something to keep my mind off things.” Annie sighed. </p><p>Jeff reached out his hands to hers, holding her hands safely within the comforts of his own. “Hey, you’ll be okay. You’ll find a job soon; I know you will. And I am happy to keep distracting you, because you just so happen to be my favorite distraction in the world. We’ll talk later, okay?” He said reassuringly.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s do that. Thank you, Jeff, I love you.” Annie said, and the words didn’t seem so scary any longer. </p><p>“I love you too, Annie.” Jeff returned, and leaned forward to close the gap between them, capturing her lips with his, kissing her frown off her face as she melted into the kiss with him. They pulled away seconds later, both grinning widely at each other. Annie reached to open the door, but Jeff held his left hand over her left, and reached out to the backseat. “Don’t forget your dress.” He said, and handed her the plastic bag.</p><p>Annie took the bag, and smiled again. “Right, thank you. Have a good day at work!” She exclaimed; her voice noticeably more cheerful now.</p><p>“Thank you, I’ll try. Bye Annie.” Jeff returned as Annie stepped out of the car.</p><p>“Bye Jeff.” Annie said, and gently shut the door, giving him a wave before walking towards the door. Jeff drove off once he saw her enter, and headed for work.</p><p>Jeff had the first-year students again that Thursday, the same group who had been so unceremoniously introduced to him through Britta shouting at him through the phone the last time. He walked into class on time again, and sat down by his desk as the remainder of the class came wandering in. Once everybody seemed to be there, he stood up.</p><p>“Everybody here?” He asked to be sure, and the class nodded in response. “Great, let’s get started then. Last time we focused on a brief introduction to everything we will be covering in this class, so this time I feel it’s time for us to get to the core of law, namely judicial method, or judicial interpretation if you will.” Jeff began, and turned to write down Judicial Interpretation on the board behind him.</p><p>As if on cue, a student spoke up. “Is that a hickey on your neck, professor?”</p><p>That got the attention of the class, who all looked at Jeff intently, no doubt studying his neck. “Oh my god, it is!” Someone else exclaimed.</p><p>“Is it from that girl that shouted at you on Monday?” Another student asked.</p><p>That comment got Jeff’s attention instantly. “What? No. It wasn’t from her.” He denied.</p><p>“Are you seeing <em>two</em> girls? That’s bold, professor, very bold.” The same spiky haired guy that had commented last time exclaimed.</p><p>“What’s bold is you speaking up like that after I warned you on Monday. I’m not seeing the woman that shouted at me over the phone, she’s a friend of mine. But I am seeing the woman who gave me this. Now, all of you shut up, or you will need to learn all of this by yourselves.” Jeff sneered back at them, annoyed by the comments.</p><p>“Not our fault that you can keep your girlfriend’s mouth from your neck.” The student returned.</p><p>That comment made Jeff’s brain freeze for a second. He just said <em>girlfriend</em>. Was Annie his girlfriend? He was hesitant to label it himself, at least not until they had talked about it. “Another comment from you, and you’re out of this class.” Jeff finally warned, pointing his finger at the unruly student. </p><p>It seemed to do the trick, because the class shut up after that, which allowed Jeff to go into a long and detailed lecture about judicial interpretation with a few questions here and there, but none from the spiky haired kid, whom Jeff had learned was named Jayden. He really didn’t want to be <em>that</em> professor, but he did not have the patience to deal with kids that didn’t know when to shut up. </p><p>Once his only class for the day was done, he drove back home, slightly annoyed about it all. He wasn’t annoyed at Annie for leaving it there – he had begun it after all, but more so for the students acting like immature kids. But then it dawned upon him. That’s exactly what they were, and he simply had to accept that and hope they would grow up.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Once Annie got back up to her apartment, she quickly unlocked the door, and practically ran into her room before she got spotted.<p>“Annie? Are you home?” She heard Britta’s muffled voice call out.</p><p>“Yes, I’m here!” Annie responded, while quickly taking out the dress from the bag Jeff had so kindly given her, and discarding her coat. She was in the middle of undressing, when she heard Britta outside her door.</p><p>“Can we talk?” Britta asked from outside of the door.</p><p>“I’ll be out in moment, hold on!” Annie responded, before throwing on some different underwear. The fancy underwear had done the job, but they weren’t exactly the most comfortable. She threw on some better fitting sweatpants, a t-shirt and a hoodie, and headed out to talk with Britta.</p><p>“You wanted to talk?” Annie said, and sat down on the couch, with Britta already seated in her usual chair.</p><p>“Yeah, I just wondered if everything’s okay. You kind of disappeared yesterday, then didn’t respond to my texts before this morning.” Britta said, and looked at Annie worried.</p><p>“Britta, I know we live together, but I have the right to a private life.” Annie sighed.</p><p>“Were you with Jeff?” Britta asked, more direct this time.</p><p>“Yes. And so what if I were?” Annie responded, slightly defensive about the questions.</p><p>“And you just so happened to fall asleep while Jeff took the couch yet again?” Britta said sarcastically.</p><p>“No, we slept together, Britta. There, you got what you wanted, am I free from questioning now?” Annie said back with some snark.</p><p>“Annie…I hope you didn’t let him take advantage of you.” Britta said, sounding worried.</p><p>“No, he cooked me dinner and was super sweet. I took the initiative on the rest, and he was wonderful about it.” Annie detailed in a happy retelling. “But this isn’t any of your business.” She added with a tinge of frustration.</p><p>“Really? That doesn’t sound like Jeff at all.” Britta commented, her brow furrowed at the revelations.</p><p>“But it happened, and I’m really happy about it. And that’s my business. You don’t need to go worry about me.” Annie said, and looked at Britta with annoyance written all over her face.</p><p>“Look, I just worry that you’re rushing into things. I know how he can be about sex.” Britta continued.</p><p>“This isn’t the Jeff you slept with like four years ago, Britta. Just let me deal with this, please? I’m not some kid you need to watch over.” Annie said, not backing down either.</p><p>“I’m sorry, okay? I just get worried when you try to keep it a secret.” Britta said, and sighed.</p><p>“I snuck out yesterday just because of things like this! I don’t want you to question everything I do just because Jeff is involved. I’m sick of being treated like I’m some careless child that can’t make my own decisions!” Annie said angrily, which took Britta slightly aback. </p><p>“Okay, I’m sorry Annie. I hope you had a good time.” Britta eventually mustered up as a response, slightly shocked at how Annie had lashed out at her. </p><p>“I did. But I have other things to do now, talk some other time.” Annie said, and stormed off back to her room, slamming the door behind her, leaving a shocked and sad Britta behind in the living room.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In the wake of her fight with Britta, Annie spends the weekend at Jeff's place. However, by Monday night she knows that she has to deal with her issues sooner or later.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the following weekend, Annie found herself spending her time at Jeff’s place after her argument with Britta. After talking with Jeff over the phone later that Thursday night, she ended up packing a bag with some clothes, toiletries and her laptop the next day, and headed to Jeff’s place with his blessing.</p><p>Staying there while Jeff was at work was a bit odd, but provided her a unique chance at getting an unfiltered look into Jeff Winger’s apartment after all these years. She found out that her impression of it being practically taken from a catalogue wasn’t too far from reality. It was very lacking of colour and decorations, mostly sticking to the same grey theme, making it look essentially like a bachelor pad. When looking closer however, she found that he did have a few unique items. He had a model car, a Star Wars box set, a quite impressive collection of drinks, including more of her new favorite wine, and his own known favorite drink, the Macallan scotch. He also had a handful of cooking books, all of them focused on recipes for his diet.</p><p>However, she found the worst under his bed. She discovered an unmarked box, and realized quickly that it was the box of conquests that it had been revealed that Jeff had. Annie scrambled a bit around in it to see if there was anything belonging to her in there, but didn’t find anything. Unsure about how to take that, she closed the box and reached for a different box lying beside it. In there, she found the bequeathment from Pierce, an untouched bottle of scotch and the cylinder of sperm. Mildly disgusted by those two memories, she quickly closed it again and pushed it back underneath the bed.</p><p>The highlight of her exploration however was found in the bathroom. She had seen a bit of it already, but with Jeff at work, she was able to look freely through his various skin and hair products. What she found was quite scary. It was an abundance of various products, and part of her wondered how he could even afford it, but part of her did appreciate that he did. He took care of himself, and that was certainly preferable to someone that didn’t, even if he went a bit overboard with it. His cleanliness ran as a theme through the whole apartment. It was very orderly, and neat, and it was obvious that he took care of it well. </p><p>As a result, hanging out there wasn’t a problem for Annie. She liked neat, and she liked order to things, and Jeff’s apartment did have that. Thanks to that, she was able to settle down there fine, applying for jobs on her pc while he was away. Once he returned, they made dinner and settled down to watch some tv together. It was very nice and comfortable, like a sweet domestic bubble which they both enjoyed a lot. They kept it going over the weekend, just enjoying each other’s company. It was odd to see Jeff like this for Annie. He was so relaxed and comfortable just hanging out with her, and he just seemed happy to have her around the place. A bit curious, Annie decided to ask.</p><p>“Jeff, are you okay with me staying over like this?” She asked on while snuggled into him on the couch on Monday night, after they had spent the past few hours huddled together in front of the tv.</p><p>“What? Yeah, of course I am Annie. Why wouldn’t I be?” Jeff said and turned around to look at her properly, surprised she had to ask that.</p><p>“I mean, we just started, you know, like a few days ago? I don’t want to just push myself into your own personal time.” Annie clarified, and shuffled a bit away so they could more comfortably talk.</p><p>Jeff pretty much instantly reached out to her, and held her hands in his. “Annie, I enjoy spending time with you. It’s much better than just staying here alone all the time.” Jeff said reassuringly</p><p>“Still, I basically just fled from Britta because I’m mad at her, and gave you no other choice but to take me in. And I think that’s a bit much given that we just began this thing. Hell, what are we?” Annie said, revealing her thoughts to him.</p><p>“I don’t know?” Jeff responded with a shrug of his shoulders, having pushed away any thoughts of labels from his mind.</p><p>“You don’t know? You don’t have any thoughts about what this might be?” Annie said, slightly put off by him seemingly avoiding the subject.</p><p>Jeff took a deep breath to compose himself, then spoke. “Look, on Thursday, a student mentioned that hickey you gave me.” Jeff began, and Annie giggled slightly – she had won that battle after all. “And somebody else there made this snarky comment about me not being able to control my girlfriend’s mouth. I didn’t deny it. I didn’t want to go say to you that I consider you as that, but the idea of it…it’s what I want.” He admitted.</p><p>“You do?” Annie asked, just to be sure.</p><p>“Yes, I do. I want to be able to tell people that the cute little brunette leaving these marks on my neck is my beautiful girlfriend, Annie Edison.” Jeff said, and his eyes met hers again.</p><p>“Well, I think dating my handsome boyfriend Jeff Winger doesn’t sound so bad either.” Annie hummed in agreement, liking the way both of those things sounded.</p><p>“It appears we’re in agreement then.” Jeff said.</p><p>“It would seem so.” Annie agreed. “But just because we’re dating, doesn’t mean I think I should stay here all the time, especially when I don’t have the right motivation behind it.” She added, tracking back to her previous point.</p><p>“Look, I’m not going to chase you out or refuse you to stay here. I won’t do that. You’re welcome whenever you want, Annie, but I do think you need to figure things out with Britta. Both because you live with her, and because she’s your friend. She goes about it the wrong way sometimes, but she cares. It’s better that she cares a bit too much and goes about it wrong, than her not caring at all. And I don’t want you two to fight.” Jeff explained, giving her his thoughts on the situation between her and Britta.</p><p>“I’ll go back tomorrow morning and talk with her then.” Annie agreed, with a slight sigh. Jeff was right, obviously. She knew it herself, but the thought of a conflict with Britta just put a dampener on everything. </p><p>“Okay, I’ll drop you off on my way to work.” Jeff said, and leaned over to give her a quick peck. “By the way, has she reached out to you?”</p><p>“Yes, she sent me some texts, but I ignored them.” Annie confirmed shortly.</p><p>“Annie…you shouldn’t be ignoring her. She probably feels bad about it all.” Jeff said with a tinge of sadness. He was happy with how things were going, but seeing how Britta had reacted, despite her being positive towards it over the summer had left a bit of a sour taste in his mouth. </p><p>“I know, it’s just…I wish she could just be happy for us. That’s all I want, for people to not pick holes in our happiness when there’s no need to.” Annie said, and sighed. It was frustrating to her that Britta had to be so worried. She felt like she had shown enough maturity to deserve some trust. Jeff was finally giving her that, but him finally letting her close made it an uphill battle with Britta and Frankie, who didn’t trust her judgement in matters relating to Jeff. However, she knew that Britta would likely relent, now that she understood just how upset it made her.</p><p>“I know. I’m sure she’ll drop it eventually. I know she’s not opposed to us, she kind of encouraged me over the summer.” Jeff said, revealing some of his discussions with Britta in the early summer.</p><p>“She did?” Annie asked, just to confirm that she heard that right.</p><p>“Yeah, she encouraged me to contact you. So, even if she’s a bit hesitant, she isn’t completely against it. Give her some time, she’ll come around.” Jeff said, confident that he would be right this time.</p><p>“Hm. I guess we’ll see. I hope you’re right though.” Annie said, and snuggled back into him for comfort. They spent the last few hours of the night snuggled together there under the blankets before heading to bed together, with Annie comfortably falling asleep beside him in her blue pyjamas. She did have a pink one too, but figured she wouldn’t drop that revelation on Jeff just yet.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>The next morning, they were up fairly early due to Jeff’s work, unfortunately for Annie. She knew Britta likely wouldn’t be awake, yet figured she might as well get back to the apartment again. No matter how Jeff told her otherwise, she felt like she was intruding by staying there so much, especially since she had been there for days at that point. After breakfast, Jeff headed to the bathroom while Annie packed her clothes back into her bag. Jeff came out of the bathroom ten minutes later, and Annie walked right in to dig through the laundry basket, to Jeff’s confusion.<p>“Annie, what are you doing?” Jeff asked while leaning against the doorframe, his voice slightly amused by the sight of her.</p><p>“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m trying to find my clothes!” Annie exclaimed; her face dug deep into the basket.</p><p>“Can’t you just leave it here?” Jeff asked, tilting his head at her in slight confusion.</p><p>“I mean, I’m heading back. I don’t want to just leave a bunch of clothes here.” Annie said, like it was the most obvious thing ever.</p><p>“It’s fine by me if you do. I assume you’ll be coming over now and then, so it would be practical if you had some spare clothes here. And I can wash them for you no problem.” Jeff said, suggesting what he had taken as a given.</p><p>“You sure?” Annie asked, and peeked her head up from the basket.</p><p>“Yes, I’m sure. If there’s something you really need, then of course take it with you, but you having some clothes here doesn’t bother me at all.” Jeff confirmed with a gentle smile.</p><p>“Huh. I guess it makes sense to have something here so I don’t need to travel back in your oversized clothes all the time.” Annie said, thinking a bit out loud. “Do you have anywhere to put it?” She asked right after, just to be certain.</p><p>“I have space in my wardrobe. And don’t worry, your clothes are safe with me, I’ll take care of yours like I would my own.” Jeff confirmed, just waiting for Annie to agree.</p><p>“Aw, thanks Jeff. That’s really sweet of you. I’ll leave my pyjamas and all the dirty clothes here then.” Annie said, and smiled at the nice gesture.</p><p>“My pleasure Annie.” Jeff said, and pulled her close to kiss her forehead. “Now, you better get ready, I need to leave in fifteen.”</p><p>“On it.” Annie said, and shooed him out the door for her to get ready alone. Jeff backed out of the room with his hands in the air in mock surrender, and a big smile on his face. Ten minutes later, they were off, with a slightly lighter Annie-bag this time around. Jeff drove her back, and kissed her goodbye, wishing her good luck for the inevitable conversation she needed to have with Britta.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Annie walked back inside the apartment, and found it to be very quiet. She assumed that Britta was still in bed, so she headed back to the comforts of her own room. It was slightly odd to be back there, in the comfort of her own pink bed covers and stuffies, especially coming from the slightly more colourless home of Jeff. Once back on her own bed, it finally dawned upon her: she had practically moved in with Jeff within days of them getting together, and he was fine with it. Jeff, known to take to commitment like oil to water, had not just willingly let her stay for as long as she wanted, but he had seemingly enjoyed it. And if she was being honest, playing house with him had been really nice.<p>After unpacking her bag, Annie went out into the living room. It looked mostly the same as when she left, aside from an empty glass and an open bag of chips on the table. Annie picked up the glass and bag and carried it to the kitchen, putting the glass in the dishwasher and the chips back into the cabinet with a rubber band around it so they wouldn’t get ruined. Annie went on to do some light cleaning, specifically going over surfaces since it wouldn’t wake Britta up. Annie liked having it clean, and while it wasn’t outright dirty, it was a bit of a change coming from Jeff’s fairly spotless apartment.</p><p>Once she felt the place was suitably clean, Annie brought up her laptop to check if she had gotten any replies to her applications. With a sigh, she realized that she hadn’t. The job market was absolute hell, and extensive experience seemed to be the only way to get a job, but to get experience, you also need a job, and so far, there were no takers. A part of her longed to go back to Greendale. It was hard work, at least for her, but it had a level of comfort to it that she now lacked. She used to have a schedule, a plan. Now life was all random, and could be turned upside down by the end of the day.</p><p>Annie spent the next few hours of her day just wasting away, waiting for Britta to wake up. It was the one thing she felt like she had to do, and she wasn’t going to do anything else until it was settled. Around 1 PM, she started hearing sounds of someone waking up. Soon enough, Annie could hear that, Britta was out of her room and in the kitchen grabbing some food. Annie stepped out of her room, and Britta instinctively turned around to see what the sound was.</p><p>“Annie! You’re back!” Britta said happily once she realized that it really was her.</p><p>“Yes, I came back a few hours ago. Is it okay if we talk?” Annie said, a bit less cheerful than Britta.</p><p>Britta’s face quickly returned to a more serious one, and formed a frown. “Yeah, I think we should do that.” Britta agreed. “Let’s sit down.”</p><p>They sat down by the kitchen desk in silence, both waiting for the other to speak. “Okay, I’ll begin.” Annie finally relented. “I left on Friday morning because I was angry at you. I was angry that you don’t seem to trust my judgement, and that you assume the worst every time Jeff and I do anything. It frustrates me, because I don’t think either of us deserve that judgement.” She explained in firm, but annoyed manner.</p><p>“I get that, I do. I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions when stayed over there the first time, it was stupid of me. And I’m sorry I talked to you like I did on Thursday. It’s just…I’ve gotten so used to Jeff being very selfish about his sex-life. It’s not like he’s never done that before, and I just feared that he would do that to you.” Britta tried to explain, wanting to let Annie know where she was coming from.</p><p>“He's not that guy anymore. He’s never been that way with me, ever. It took <em>five years</em> for him to kiss me again, for him to finally be honest with me. He’s restrained himself for years. And this isn’t about us sleeping together. It never was.” Annie countered right away.</p><p>“Didn’t you sleep together on Wednesday?” Britta asked to confirm what Annie had told her days ago.</p><p>“Yes, we did. Because <em>I</em> wanted to. It wasn’t him pushing for it, <em>I</em> suggested it, and he was a perfect gentleman about it. We both wanted to, so we did it. End of story.” Annie said, and crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance.</p><p>“Look, I’m sorry, okay? It’s just, the two of you together, I don’t know, it feels weird to me. I still remember you as this sweet, innocent girl that started at Greendale, and Jeff as this sleezy ex-lawyer. I get that picture in my head whenever I see you two together.” Britta said, evidently frustrated that her good intentions were being taken so badly.</p><p>“Is that really what you think of us? That me and Jeff are just an innocent young girl that can’t protect herself, and a horny man? And weren’t <em>you</em> the one who told him to stay in touch with me after he got down about me leaving?” Annie countered back, not willing to accept anything but a full apology without any excuses.</p><p>“Yes, I told him to do that, because he was a damn wreck without you. I was worried for him, and I thought that at least talking with you and being honest could make him happier. And I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have thought about you two that way. It was judgemental of me, and I shouldn’t have done it.” Britta said, her head hanging ever lower for the longer this went on.</p><p>“Britta, he <em>is</em> happy. I am happy, <em>with him</em>. Why can’t you just let us be happy together?” Annie asked directly, and she could feel herself starting to boil over.</p><p>Britta remained silent for a bit, not really knowing what to say in response. Finally, she managed to get out some words, in a low, slightly broken tone. “I….I’m sorry, Annie. I guess I was just assuming the worst, and was too busy worrying to see that you were happy together. It was stupid of me, and I’m really, really sorry. I won’t mention it again.” </p><p>Annie studied her for a few seconds, trying to gauge if she was apologizing for the sake of it or not. “Look, Britta. I appreciate that you care, I like that about you, but you go too far sometimes, and those times it feels like you don’t trust me, or Jeff for that matter.” </p><p>“Annie! Of course I trust you!” Britta exclaimed right away.</p><p>“Then you need to act like you do. You can’t question everything I do, and then tell me that you trust me right after.” Annie said with frustration, noting the hypocrisy in Britta’s words.</p><p>Britta looked down at the floor, defeated. “You’re right.” She murmured out. “You’re right, I haven’t shown you trust. And you didn’t deserve me questioning you like that. I’m sorry. I’ll stop, I promise.” She added, her voice slightly clearer, but still a bit broken down.</p><p>“Okay.” Annie said shortly, a bit calmer now.</p><p>“Is there any way you can forgive me?” Britta asked tentatively.</p><p>“I forgive you, Britta. I don’t want to fight you. Like I said, I’m happy with Jeff right now. And I don’t want a silly fight with my friend bring me down.” Annie said, a slight, but hesitant smile forming on her face.</p><p>“Thank you thank you thank you!” Britta exclaimed, and jumped up from the barstool to give Annie a big hug, which she accepted.</p><p>“It’s okay Britta. Let’s just put it behind us, okay?” Annie said calmly, while holding Britta in their hug.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s do that.” Britta agreed, visibly more relaxed now. They let go of each other soon after, and Britta got around to making herself some breakfast, after being moments away from her stomach rumbling while she talked with Annie. They both sat down in front of the tv while Britta ate her bowl of fruit loops, both relieved to have the situation out of their system.</p><p>Once Britta had eaten, Annie decided to ask her something. “By the way, how is school going?” She asked, since they hadn’t really talked much about Britta’s continued studies in a while.</p><p>“I uh, I don’t know. I’m trying to combine it with work, but it’s really difficult. I’m either too tired to study, or I can’t focus. And it’s all about understanding people, what makes them tick, and that’s difficult.” Britta admitted with a sigh.</p><p>“Want me to help you study?” Annie asked as friendly offer.</p><p>“You’d do that?” Britta asked with a hopeful voice.</p><p>“Sure. I don’t have anything else to do, might as well keep my mind occupied and be a little helpful.” Annie confirmed cheerfully, happy she could help out.</p><p>“Great! I’ll go get my books!” Britta exclaimed happily, and bounced right up to run to her room. She came back moments later with two books, and sat herself down on the couch again. Annie turned off the tv, and sat so she’d be facing Britta, before taking one of the books for herself so she could help quiz Britta. </p><p>They sat there together for several hours, with Annie giving Britta some study tips, while also reading some chapters for her, before quizzing her about it afterwards so she’d remember what she had just learned. To finish, Annie set up a suggested reading schedule for Britta, and agreed to help her out every now and then. </p><p>Pleased that things were better between her and Britta again, Annie returned to her room later that night with a smile on her face. She sat down amongst her stuffies on her bed, and sat down her laptop on her lap to check her emails once again, just to be sure. Annie brought up her Gmail, and noticed that she had received a few new messages, with one sticking out like a sore thumb among the rest. Instantly, she clicked on it, her hands sweating in anticipation. Annie read over it, then re-read it a few times just to be sure. Certain she wasn’t seeing things, she brought up her phone to make a call.</p><p>“Jeff? I just got a job interview, in Arizona.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Annie has just revealed the news that could potentially turn Jeff's domestic bliss on its head, and ruin any hopes he has of a happy future. Jeff doesn't know how to deal with it.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter contains heavy emotional angst in the form of a panic attack. If you are not comfortable reading such things, then I advise that you skip the opening part of the chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Jeff? Say something? Please?” Annie said, but he barely registered it, his thoughts drowning out the sound of her voice.</p><p>His head was spinning. They had just begun dating, just begun this wonderful, happy stage where everything was supposed to be sweet, great and wonderful. They were just supposed to hang out, go on sappy dates, kiss a lot, and all the stupid stuff he had never imagined he wanted to do. Dating was dumb. Except with Annie. He wanted to do sappy and romantic with Annie, because anything with Annie was a million times better than with anybody else. That was what they were supposed to be doing right now.</p><p>Instead, life instead decided to stick a wrench into his wheels, causing everything to abruptly stop, as he flew over the steering wheel, flying face first into a future full of questions, doubt, uncertainty, and far too many variables. It was the endless cycle of Jeff Winger, all over again. Just when things look good, life finds a way to pull the rug out from under him.</p><p>Somehow, he managed to collect his thoughts a bit, and strung together a sentence in response. “That’s great, Annie..” He said with a weak voice, trying to be happy for her, but failing miserably. </p><p>“Jeff…are you okay?” Annie asked worriedly, but likely she already knew the answer. Of course he wasn’t. How could he be, when the little domestic fluff he had gotten fond of so quickly was being taken away from him as soon as it began? They still had a fresh relationship, with lots of untested grounds. And as much as he wanted to follow her across the country, it was still easier said than done.</p><p>“Y-y-yeah. I‘m fine.” He lied, hoping she wouldn’t worry. “I’m happy for you. When is the interview?” He added, trying to shift the subject away from his feelings. He couldn’t talk about them. Not right then and there over the phone.</p><p>“It’s next Tuesday. I haven’t responded yet, or checked anything, but I think it makes sense for me to fly down there on Monday.” Annie responded, seemingly not pushing him further on his earlier reaction.</p><p>“Oh, okay.” Jeff managed to get out, failing to say anything more sensible than that.</p><p>“I was wondering, could you take me to the airport on Monday? I can ask Britta or take a cab instead if you aren’t available, so don’t feel like you have to.” Annie asked, while giving him an out.</p><p>“No, I’ll take you. I work until three on Monday, but I’m free after that.” Jeff said, trying to sound a bit more optimistic, but failing badly.</p><p>“Okay. I’ll let you know when I’ve booked the flight.” Annie said.</p><p>“You do that. But I think I’m going to go now. Good night Annie. Love you.” Jeff said with a dejected tone to his voice.</p><p>“Good night Jeff. I love you too.” Annie returned; her tone unusually flat.</p><p>Jeff hung up the phone, and felt it slip out of his hand, the sound of it crashing to the ground underneath him barely registering in his mind, over the sound of his increasing heartbeat and rapid breath filling his ears. He felt himself slipping, his legs wouldn’t function properly. He leaned against the kitchen countertop, and tried to take a deep breath. Feeling like his legs would give out on him, Jeff grabbed the Macallan in front of him, and forced his legs to move against their will. He was dizzy and struggling to walk, but barely made it to the couch, bottle in hand as he collapsed over it. </p><p>Jeff didn’t know what to do. His eyes were struggling to focus, the light was getting blurry, and items seemed to be multiplying before his very eyes. He had felt this once before, years ago when he got the call informing him that he was getting disbarred. He had heard murmurs in the days prior that something was up, but when the news dropped, it completely destroyed him. Through one short phone call, his life as he knew it had ended. And now it was happening again. Annie was leaving again, and all his hopes went up in smoke. Just as soon as he had started to dream again, to finally feel positive about the future again, this happened. How could he be so stupid? He should have known this could happen. </p><p>Jeff tried a breathing trick his therapist had taught him, willing to try <em>anything</em> to calm himself down. It didn’t work. His heartbeat was deafening. Hands shaking, he reached out for the bottle he had dropped beside him, and popped it open. He lifted it to his mouth, and drank. He couldn’t hold it properly, he was making a mess, but he just hoped it would calm him down, that it would just stop the noise in his head. Eventually, his body seemed to give out, as he felt his eyesight slipping into darkness. </p><p>He woke up hours later, drenched in sweat, yet he felt cold. His eyes shot open. It was dark out. The light that had illuminated his apartment earlier was gone, and night-time had fallen over Greendale. Jeff took a deep breath, and got up. He turned on the light and headed to the bathroom to look himself in the mirror. He looked like death. He was pale, hair showing signs of having just woken up, and his shirt was ruined. He felt the shirt with his hand, to figure out what it was. It was sticky, undoubtably alcohol. Frustrated with himself, he unbuttoned it, and dropped it on the ground. He undressed slowly, not wanting to overexert himself. He had panicked earlier, and if he remembered anything from last time, it was he felt like he was running on 1% power even hours later. </p><p>Completely drained of energy, he made his way to the shower, turned it on, and just sat down. He felt his eyes getting wet, but at this point he didn’t know if it was tears or not. His rosy, comfortable and sweet existence had suddenly been replaced with doubt. It was only an interview, but he knew that she would knock it out of the park. She could charm anyone with her combination of intellect, wit and charm. She certainly charmed him without problem. </p><p>And what would happen if she got the job? Would she take it? Would she move down to the desert? Where would that leave them? Would she even want him to come with her? And if yes, what exactly would he even do in Arizona? Could he get a teaching job? Possibly re-take the bar exam for that state? He knew he would willingly follow, but the amount of questions left his head spinning once again.</p><p>Eventually he got out of the shower, and collapsed back on the bed. His stomach was growling, but he didn’t care, he just needed to sleep, and hope tomorrow would be better. The morning after, he called in sick, and published a quick update about what his students had to read, along with an apology. He messaged the dean, informing him that he had to take a few days off due to an urgent emergency.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>That was five days ago. Annie had texted him the flight details – she was flying out at 6 PM, which would give him time to get from work, to her place, and to the airport. Outside of that, they had exchanged some good night and good morning texts, but the tension was palpable. Jeff didn’t really know what to do with himself. He knew he was being selfish, but it just sucked. He had avoided any more episodes, and kept away from the drinks, but he found it impossible to focus on anything. His mind was stuck, worried about his future with Annie. Part of him cursed himself for letting this consume his mind, but his mind had been so wrapped around all things Annie for years now. And once he finally acted on it, it had been thrown up in the air two times.<p>But he knew he had to put on a brave face for her. He got through work on Monday with minimal effort, not feeling like doing more than resorting to anything but his old classic of telling the class to discuss the previous week’s chapters in groups. It was a cop-out, he knew it was, but he simply didn’t have a good lecture in him that day. Once he got out of work, Jeff headed to the bathroom to check if he still looked okay. By all accounts, he did. The dark lines under his eyes had been concealed, at least to a degree, and he had made up for a few days of mismanagement of his skin.</p><p>Jeff got in the car to drive over to Annie, and shot her a text.</p><p><em>Outside in 5.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 3:22 PM</p><p><em>Ok.</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 3:23 PM</p><p>Jeff scrolled through their exchanges over the past week, and cringed. They were cold, formal. Distant. It was everything he didn’t want to be with her, but letting her in to see just how badly he had been broken by her phone call was a thought that could get his head spinning once again. He shook his head, and put the car in gear.</p><p>He got there as scheduled, parked close to the door, and shot her a text.</p><p><em>Outside.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 3:28 PM</p><p>Two minutes later, Annie came walking down with a carryon bag. She put in into the trunk, then opened up the door and sat inside.</p><p>“Hey.” Annie greeted, and leaned over to give him a quick peck.</p><p>“Hey there. Ready to go?” Jeff returned, just to make some conversation.</p><p>“I guess. Ready as I ever will be.” Annie responded, but she sounded a bit off, her normally so expressive eyes avoiding his. She lacked the positivity she usually did.</p><p>“That’s good. We should get going.” Jeff said, opting not to comment on her downbeat tone. He didn’t really have to ask; he knew why she was like. He put the car in gear, and drove off towards the airport.</p><p>The ride there was eerily quiet, a silent tension hanging in the air between them. None of them wanted to speak first, to address the obvious issue. They reached the short-term parking, and parked. Annie opened her to say something, when Jeff spoke.</p><p>“I’ll follow you inside.” He said a bit flatly. Annie’s mouth closed, and formed a slight smile.</p><p>They walked together to the boarding gate, where they stopped. </p><p>“So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night?” Annie said hesitantly.</p><p>“I guess so.” Jeff responded, lacking the words to say what he wanted to say. </p><p>“Hm. Bye then. Love you.” Annie said quickly, and turned to pass through the gate. </p><p>However, Jeff’s mind finally caught up with him, and he reached out to grab her arm gently. “Wait. I have something I need to say first.” He said, and hoped she would listen.</p><p>“I’m listening.” Annie said, her face showing a mix of serious and curious at once.</p><p>Jeff closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. “I’ve been an idiot.” He began, his eyes opening to look into hers. She looked hurt, and sad, and she had every reason to be. “I freaked out when I heard about the interviewed. It wasn’t pretty. I didn’t know how to handle it, so I ended up being cold and distant to you, and I shouldn’t have been. I’m sorry about that. I still need to work on how I deal with things like this. But I just want you to know that I’m rooting for you. You’ll do great in the interview; I know you will. And I also want to say that no matter what happens, I love you, and wherever you go, I will follow, if you want me to.” Jeff told her, pouring out everything at once.</p><p>“Jeff…” Annie said, and her voice was choking slightly. “Of course, I want that. I don’t want this to stop, this thing between us. I missed you so much over the past few days. I just hope you know that you can be honest with me. You don’t need to bottle up things, even if it’s about me.” She said, with a mixture of frustration and happiness mixed into one.</p><p>“I know. I’m sorry. I was a big idiot about it, and I just saw the worst possible outcome. I promise you; I’m trying to be more honest. I will keep on trying my hardest for you. Because you are worth it Annie. You are worth moving down to some boiling desert for.” Jeff said, trying his hardest to make up for the pain he inadvertently caused.</p><p>“Look, Jeff. It’s only an interview. I likely won’t know the answer for a while. I’ll be back tomorrow, and then, once we know more, we can figure it out together, okay?” Annie said, looking up in his eyes with that reassuring and positive look of hers. The one that told him that everything would be okay. </p><p>“Yeah, let’s do that. I’m going to let you go now.” Jeff said, then realized what he had just said. “Until tomorrow. I’ll see you tomorrow night.” He corrected urgently.</p><p>Annie giggled at his little moment of panic. She looked so cute when she was like that, her wide smile and happy eyes, her shoulders tucking slightly inwards as her hands clasped together in front of her. He wanted to kiss her so badly. “I will see you then.” She got out, sounding so happy. </p><p>Jeff leaned down and put his hand behind her head, entangling his fingers into her soft, brown hair. Annie released what he was doing, and tiptoed up, her hands holding onto his shirt for balance as their lips met for a soft and happy kiss. They parted before anyone would accuse them of excessive PDA, and stood there looking into each other’s eyes. “I love you.” Jeff said, and for the first time since a week earlier, he felt truly happy.</p><p>“I love you too.” Annie returned fondly, then picked up her bag again. Slowly, she backed away, keeping eye contact for a few seconds, before she finally turned around to check in her bag.</p><p>Jeff stood there looking at her as she was checked by security, watching as she slowly disappeared out of sight. Once she was somewhere where he couldn’t see her, he started heading back to the car. He walked away feeling like a knot in his heart had been untangled. Annie would do great, but they would still be fine. He drove back home, feeling determined. He had to be better, he couldn’t relapse in his old ways if he wanted to be with her.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>The next night, he was on his way back to the airport once again, feeling a bit better. He hadn’t asked Annie about how the interview had gone, he only wanted her to tell that she was on the way, so they could speak in person. However, he couldn’t deny that he was nervous. He was more relaxed than he was a day earlier, but he felt like there was some hope now. To pass the time, he had decided to clean the apartment, after having made a mess for almost a week before that.<p>Jeff arrived at the airport fashionably early, with an hour to spare before Annie was supposed to land. It was pretty late, as Annie had caught a 7:05 PM flight out of Phoenix, with a planned arrival in Denver just before 10 PM. He hadn’t planned any specific gestures this time either, hopefully him just being there would do the trick. </p><p>Half past ten, Jeff finally saw what he was there for. Annie was back, and with a big smile on her face, she ran over to him and gave him a big hug. They held each other close, and Jeff could smell the distinct smell of her hair, mixed with the sweet smell of her usual perfume. Annie let go of him after a bit, then tiptoed up to give Jeff a kiss, which he gladly accepted. Lost in the moment, they kissed each other passionately, blissfully unaware of the attention they were attracting.</p><p>Finally, they ended the kiss, and stood there close, facing each other. Annie was the first to speak. “Hey.” She said, smiling so gleefully at him that he thought he would melt.</p><p>“Hey.” He returned, grinning just as widely at her in return. They stood there again, just lost in each other’s eyes, until someone commented.</p><p>“Come on, kiss her again. Continue the show!” An elderly man commented. Jeff and Annie turned their heads to look at him in slight shock, then quickly turned back to face each other.</p><p>“Car?” Jeff said.</p><p>“Definitely.” Annie returned, and picked up her bag again. They quickly walked off, both wanting to avoid any more comments on their blatant PDA from horny old men. </p><p>Back in the car, they finally let out their breath. “At least it’s not just Pierce and Leonard that was awful among the older generation.” Jeff said, trying to lighten up the situation.</p><p>“Jeff, I don’t think it’s a <em>positive</em> that there’s more horny old men out there.” Annie huffed in frustration.</p><p>“Sorry. Just trying to cheer you up.” Jeff smiled sheepishly, then started the car. “How was the flight?”</p><p>“Uh it was okay. No screaming babies, and I charged my headset this time!” Annie exclaimed cheerfully as they started to head out of the short-term parking area.</p><p>“That’s great! If only we could get rid of leering old guys too, then air travel would be solved forever!” Jeff joked, causing Annie to actually laugh a bit this time.</p><p>“How has your day been?” Annie asked politely.</p><p>“Oh, it’s been great. I had a very boring class in the morning, then got back to the apartment and cleaned.” Jeff quipped back sarcastically.</p><p>“Jeff!” Annie exclaimed from hearing his sarcasm. “Also, was the place that dirty?” </p><p>“I made a bit of a mess there over the past week. It’s, uh, I’ll tell you later, okay? I want to hear how the interview went.” Jeff said, wanting to change the subject to something lighter. Or so he hoped.</p><p>“Oookay.” Annie replied, her face showing a bit of surprise, but it quickly settled back to normal “Well, I think it went well. They seemed really nice, and were positive despite me not having much experience. They liked that I had gotten a recommendation – thanks again for me reminding me about that, but they had some other candidates they were interviewing too, so they’d get back to me soon.” She explained excitedly.</p><p>Jeff wanted to turn around and hug her, but unfortunately found himself driving a car. “Annie, that’s great!” He remarked happily. “I’m sure you’ll get the job.”</p><p>Annie’s face frowned a little. “I guess we’ll see. I also have some other applications elsewhere, so hopefully more of them get back to me. It’d be nice to have some options. But something is better than nothing.” She said thoughtfully.</p><p>Jeff smiled slightly, while keeping his eyes peeled on the road. “Hopefully it all works out.” </p><p>After a while, Annie turned to look at him, her eyes studying him as he drove them ever closer to Greendale. “Jeff, can I ask you something?”</p><p>“Sure, ask away.”</p><p>“What did you really think when I told you about the interview?” </p><p>Jeff took a deep breath, and tried to remain calm as he spoke. “Annie, I…I’ll tell you everything, I promise. Just not right now. I don’t want to do this while I’m driving.”</p><p>“Why not?” Annie asked directly.</p><p>“It’s…a lot. I have a lot to tell you, and I just can’t when I’m trying to focus on the road. It’s late, I’ve been up for hours, and I really can’t focus on the road if I’m going to try to explain. I promise you; I will tell you, just not right now.” He repeated, trying desperately to keep his cool. Just thinking about his reaction was making his breathing speed up.</p><p>Annie looked at him, worried. However, she seemed to either sense his discomfort, or just decided to listen to him. “Okay. Later then.”</p><p>They drove in silence after that, until they hit the highway exit to Greendale. “Jeff, is it okay if we go to your place?” </p><p>Jeff instinctively turned his head to look at her for a brief second in slightly surprise. “Uh, sure?”</p><p>“I just want to talk to you, properly.” Annie clarified.</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>They drove back to Jeff’s place, where Annie left her luggage in the car before they walked up to his door. Jeff unlocked the door and stepped inside with Annie in tow. After hanging up their jackets, they sat down, both well aware of what was coming next.</p><p>Annie sat there with her arms crossed, and it was evident that she wasn’t happy. “Care to explain to me what that was in the car?” </p><p>“Yeah, I will. When you called me, I freaked out. I didn’t know what to say or do with myself. I should have said something, been positive, but all my mind told me right then and there was that you were leaving again. And it completely destroyed me. I don’t even know how I managed to tell you anything, because…because..” Jeff began, but he felt himself getting more and more stressed. He was reliving the most traumatic memory of his recent life, one that still cut so fresh, so deep, and it hurt like hell, because he knew that nothing about it was rational, yet his brain had still done that to him.</p><p>Annie looked at him, her face going from stern and serious, to worried and a bit confused. “Jeff, it’s okay. I just want to hear the story, don’t worry about my reaction. It will be fine, I promise.” She encouraged, hoping it would soothe him.</p><p>Jeff closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. “After we ended the call, something happened. Really, it began right after you told me about the interview, but it was only after the call that I really felt it. I just felt my head spinning, like my legs were failing me. I panicked completely. I…I…” Jeff sniffled in between increasingly rapid breaths, struggling badly to keep his composure.</p><p>Annie’s eyes widened upon seeing his reaction. He wasn’t making this up, this wasn’t normal Jeff trying to spin a lie. “Jeff, it’s okay. You don’t have to tell me.” </p><p>Jeff shook his head, and tried to steady his breathing again. “I had a panic attack. I did the only thing that I felt could stop it right then and there, and grabbed a drink from the rack.” He began, and pointed to the rack, which was lacking a few bottles since last Annie was there. “I got to the couch, somehow, and just collapsed. The last I remember was seeing double before I drank far too much at once. And then I don’t remember anything else. I just remember waking up hours later in pitch darkness, and just sitting in the shower.” He recalled honestly, his head hanging deep in shame over how he had reacted. He couldn’t look at her, or face her.</p><p>Annie didn’t know what to say. Nothing she could say could cover what she needed to. Instead, she stood up from the couch she was sitting in, and moved to sit beside Jeff on the other one to give him a hug. She held him tightly, and Jeff just gave in. His body felt limp in her arms, completely letting himself fall into the comfort over her.</p><p>“Jeff, thank you for telling me this.” Annie began carefully. “I didn’t know that you reacted like that. I’m sorry for making you think that I would just leave.” </p><p>“Annie, it’s not your fault.” Jeff muttered out, his voice broken as his head hung over her shoulder, with her hands rubbing gently along his back.</p><p>“I should have done something, Jeff. I should have visited, just to see if you were okay. But I was too busy acting hurt over your reaction, when you were the one in pain. And I’m sorry about that.” </p><p>Jeff pulled away from her, and looked her in the eyes, his own showing a level of vulnerability she had never seen in him before. “Just promise me, promise that you don’t tell anybody about this, okay?” </p><p>Annie back into his eyes, her own expressive eyes telling him the answer he needed. “Jeff, of course I won’t. This stays between us; I would never tell anybody private things like this. Just, talk to your therapist about it, okay?”</p><p>“I will. I don’t want to be like this. I need to be better for you.” Jeff said, his eyes looking away from hers, while blinking to try to push away the tears that were forming within.</p><p>Annie took his hands in her smaller ones, and rubbed her thumbs tenderly over the top of his hands. Intently, she looked at him. “Jeff, look at me.” She said gently, and he turned to look at her. “You are good enough. Never, ever think that you aren’t. Everybody has things they deal with, that can feel too heavy. But I want to be there for you, to carry that for you, just like you have with me when I’ve had bad moments. We help each other out. And please, never ever think that I’m not serious about you. I am. I want you to be part of the decisions I make, just as I want to be part of yours.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Jeff sniffled, then gave her a weak smile. “That means a lot.”</p><p>“Want to head to bed?” Annie asked, seeing as it was pretty late.</p><p>“Are you sure you don’t want to go back to your place?” Jeff asked, seeing as he wasn’t really in a good state to be around company.</p><p>Annie’s grip on his hand tightened, and she looked at him with a determined face. “Yes Jeff, I’m sure. I want to stay here with you. Call in sick for tomorrow, and we can stay here and just relax for a day.” </p><p>“Annie Edison telling someone to take a sick day? Do I know you?” Jeff said, the thought causing him to laugh slightly.</p><p>Annie gasped at his sudden teasing. “Jeff! I’m serious. You need to de-stress.” </p><p>“Okay, I will. I’ll call in sick. I did a few times last week, so I don’t think they’ll love it though.” Jeff responded.</p><p>“You’ll be fine.” Annie said with a slight smile on her face. </p><p>Jeff flashed a small smile in return. “Yeah.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I would like to reach out a thanks to greendalecoolcat for inspiring me to write the opening to this chapter, based on chapter 8 of their fic:<br/>https://archiveofourown.org/works/6984043/chapters/22478273</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff reconnects with an old friend, and Annie has news.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Two weeks later on a quiet Friday night, Jeff was minding his own business, simply relaxing after a day of both work and a trip to the gym. He had returned to work again after taking a day off to relax with Annie, and life seemed to return to normal. He’d work, go to the gym, and a few times a week, Annie would come over so they could spend some time alone together. At times she’d spend the night and he’d take her back the next morning, sometimes she wanted to stay over for longer and was around his place while he was at work, before returning home after some extra time together in the afternoon. At times she was there for a few hours, before he drove her back. They had fallen into a fairly comfortable rhythm together, simply enjoying each other’s company.</p><p>What they hadn’t done yet was to properly go out. While they considered themselves a couple after their little talk about definitions, the prospect of actively going out together as a couple was more daunting. Britta knew, Frankie might have an idea, outside of that they had kept things quiet, airport kissing aside. Instead, they wanted to be able to establish themselves, and get comfortable with each other in peace, before inevitably facing the questions of friends. Jeff had thought about it, <em>what would Annie’s parents think?</em> Then just as quickly he had shaken the thought away. If there was one positive about her broken, virtually non-existent relationship with her parents, then it was that he’d never be in a ‘meet the in-laws’ situation. <em>Are they even in-laws when you’re just dating?</em> No. He couldn’t be thinking about stuff like that.</p><p>A part of not going official yet was due to the lingering issue of Annie’s work situation. She was still waiting for a reply from Arizona. They would need some time to review candidates, but two weeks? Did they really need two weeks to conclude that Annie Edison was everything they wanted, and more? The situation had inevitably led to them talking a bit together, but Annie had reiterated that she was serious about their relationship, and that if she got an actual offer, she wanted to talk with him about what to do next. It was a process, but it was a process they had to do together. </p><p>He had also gone back to the therapist, and talked about what had happened. Mark got worried when he heard about the panic attack, but was glad to see that Jeff had come out on the other side with things cleared up between him and Annie. But it had led to an important conversation between them, which centred around where Jeff saw himself in the world, and as a result what his assumptions about situations were. </p><p>An important part of stopping those events from occurring was for Jeff to realize when he was thinking negatively about situations, and making negative predictions about the future in his mind. It was a bad habit of his, and one that he had to shake not just for himself, but also to avoid bringing down Annie’s positive mindset with his own negativity. He never wanted her to lose that side of her, because he admired it so much, and had done for a long time. Nobody could reasonably call it youthful ignorance either, because Annie Edison had been through more than most, yet still shone so brightly.</p><p>However, tonight wasn’t an Annie-night. She had plans to hang out with Britta, which left Jeff to deal with himself, and do…whatever it was he used to do when Annie wasn’t around. It was really odd to him, because he had always been very comfortable hanging out with absolutely nobody, just spending time alone. Yet now, after he had gotten a taste of domesticity with Annie, he didn’t have a single clue what to do once he was alone. He had his rhythm of work, gym and crashing in front of the tv, but now he’d started watching things with Annie, so a few of his series were off the table too. Sometimes it felt like his life alone had turned into Pink Floyd’s <em>Yet Another Movie</em>, but sometimes it couldn’t be helped. </p><p>As he brought up Netflix yet again to end his seemingly endless introspection, he heard his phone buzz on the table. He had received a text, from Ian Duncan of all people.</p><p><em>Winger, do you want to grab a pint?</em><br/>
-Sidewalk Sleeper, 5:31 PM</p><p>Jeff scoffed at seeing the message. He hadn’t heard from Duncan in ages. He knew he was back at Greendale again – he always seemed to end up back there after pulling his vanishing acts, but they hadn’t really met due to Jeff disappearing in and out of work as soon as humanly possible. And just like Duncan, he wouldn’t attend faculty meetings unless it was demanded that he had to, and that hadn’t happened so far that semester. </p><p><em>Absolutely not.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 5:33 PM</p><p><em>Oh come on, you don’t need to be a twat about it. Just one beer, for old times’ sake.</em><br/>
-Sidewalk Sleeper, 5:34 PM</p><p><em>I’m perfectly fine crashing on my couch for the night</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 5:35 PM</p><p><em>I’ll buy the first round of pints, my treat</em><br/>
-Sidewalk Sleeper, 5:36 PM</p><p><em>Make it two rounds of Macallan neat and I’ll be there</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 5:36 PM</p><p><em>Two rounds of scotch? Do you think I’m the damn duke of Cambridge?</em><br/>
-Sidewalk Sleeper, 5:37 PM</p><p><em>Couch it is.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 5:37 PM</p><p><em>You drive a hard bargain, Winger. Fine, meet me at O’Sullivan’s in an hour.</em><br/>
-Sidewalk Sleeper, 5:38 PM</p><p>A little over an hour later, Jeff found himself walking into a dark Irish pub he was vaguely familiar with. He saw Duncan leaning against the bar, nursing his beer, and walked up to him.</p><p>Duncan noticed Jeff suddenly standing beside him, and turned around to him. “Winger, you’re late.” He exclaimed with a tinge of exasperation.</p><p>“Did you <em>really</em> expect me to show up on time?” Jeff asked sharply, not believing for a second that Duncan expected him to be there on time.</p><p>“You know Jeff, this whole fashionably late charade of yours is getting less charming the older you get.” Duncan remarked.</p><p>Jeff huffed out a slight laugh. “I still look the part, unlike you.” He snapped back.</p><p>“Alright, alright. No need for low blows.” Duncan conceded.</p><p>“How about we get started on that first round?” Jeff suggested in order to move the conversation to something a bit more civil.</p><p>Duncan turned to the bartender to their right. “A glass of Macallan, neat.” He said, then turned to Jeff. “It’s neat you prefer, right? Not that gibberish about having them on the rocks?”</p><p>“Neat, yes.” Jeff confirmed.</p><p>Duncan turned back to the bartender. “Well you heard the man, get on it.” He demanded, shooing him into action. He got a sour look in response, but the drink soon appeared in front of Jeff. </p><p>“What say you we move this over there?” Duncan asked, gesturing over to a booth. Wordlessly, Jeff stood up properly and picked up his drink, before moving over to the empty booth.</p><p>Once they sat down, Duncan was yet again the first to speak, clearly in a chatty mood, as per usual. “So, what have you been up recently? I haven’t seen you around Greendale at all since I returned.” </p><p>“Yeah what’s up with that? You just suddenly disappeared after the whole Subway incident.” Jeff asked instead.</p><p>Duncan sighed. “Jeff, don’t change the subject, I asked you first.” </p><p>Jeff took a sip, sat down his glass, then released a sigh himself. “Fine. As I’m sure you know, Shirley has moved to Atlanta, Abed got a job as a production assistant in LA, and last I heard he got extended, so I think he’s doing well. Annie went to D.C. for an internship with the FBI, but she’s back now. Britta and I have been here the whole time.”</p><p>“Are you and Britta still going on? Maybe reconnected with everybody else out of town? Or did you finally flunk out for good this time?” Duncan asked, and Jeff couldn’t shake the feeling that he was leading with his questions. If this was a cross-examination in a trial, he would have objected by now.</p><p>“Britta and I haven’t done anything, and nothing will ever happen between us again. If this is your underhanded way to ask for my permission to pursue her, then by all means. I don’t care. And it seems like you’re asking more to figure out if I’ll ruin it for you than you actually caring about Britta.” Jeff explained truthfully.</p><p>Duncan scoffed at Jeff’s answer. “As if you two are ever really done. Last time I tried, you got jealous, then a while later you suddenly got engaged for a few hours. You’ll get jealous no matter what you claim.”</p><p>“I’m serious this time. <em>Nothing</em> has happened since then, and nothing will happen <em>ever</em> again. But she’s still my friend, so try not to be a drunken idiot around her.” Jeff reiterated, his tone serious and without any hesitation.</p><p>Duncan narrowed his eyes at Jeff, studying his expression intently. “Wait, you <em>are</em> serious. Jeff Winger, have you finally moved on? Who in the world made you do that?”</p><p>Jeff remained silent, not sure what to answer. He and Annie weren’t official to anyone but Britta, outside of that they had agreed to keep things tight lipped. </p><p>“Ohhh, you’re hiding something. Could it be someone I know? It’s clearly not Britta. Michelle moved ages ago and I suspect she hates your guts. Q-Kendra is too dumb even for you. Wait, no. This makes too much sense. You mentioned that she’s back, but you hid her in the middle of the sentence to avoid drawing attention to it, you sneaky. You’ve hooked up with little miss Annie, haven’t you?” Duncan theorized, thinking out loud to gauge Jeff’s reaction to the different names.</p><p>“Duncan, don’t call her that. She’s not a little kid.” Jeff groaned in annoyance. He was as guilty as anyone else as treating her like one, mostly as a defense-mechanism, to keep her at a distance while still appreciating her, but a drunken idiot like Duncan certain had no reason to call her that.</p><p>“So, it <em>is</em> her! How in the world did you pull that off?” Duncan exclaimed in amazement based on Jeff’s comment.</p><p>“What?” Jeff weakly tried to ask.</p><p>“Don’t play daft with me Jeff. How did you and Annie happen?” Duncan continued pushing.</p><p>Jeff downed the rest of his drink in response. He’d need a lot to get through this. “You’re not getting the details, but we ended up finally being honest with each other, and I finally learned to just ignore what everybody else would think about it. And then we’ve kind of been dating for a little bit in secret. Very few people know, so I’d appreciate it if you kept quiet about it.”</p><p>“How long has this been going on?” Duncan questioned further.</p><p>Jeff stopped for a second to think. After a few seconds, he answered. “Around a month, I think.” </p><p>“You’ve been secretly dating for a month? And that’s right about when the semester resumed too.” Duncan commented, puzzled that they had kept it a secret.</p><p>Jeff sighed again, not terribly interested in explaining this to Duncan. “Look, not everybody likes the idea of me and Annie together. We want to be able to be together in peace for as long as possible, so that we both know that we’re sure, and to prove to everybody else that it isn’t some fling or me taking advantage of her.” </p><p>“Like who?” Duncan asked, and it definitely felt like an interrogation.</p><p>“Like Britta and Frankie. Doubt Shirley would approve either.” Jeff replied instantly.</p><p>“Who the hell is Frankie?” Duncan asked, appearing completely confused by that new name.</p><p>“Frankie Dart, the Greendale efficiency consultant or whatever her official title is.” Jeff explained.</p><p>That made a light go up in Duncan’s mind. “Ah, right, the lovely Miss Dart. A proper busybody that one. Why does her opinion on your relationship matter?” </p><p>“She’s friendly with Annie, but doesn’t exactly love me, at least not with Annie. Wants Annie to focus on her career. Annie told her to stay out of it though, so we haven’t heard anything about it since. But we’d rather avoid those kinds of comments for as long as possible.” Jeff explained, realizing that Duncan had no real way to know what Frankie’s relationship with the rest was.</p><p>“Well you can rest assured that I won’t judge. I prefer them blonde, but I wouldn’t say no to a hot brunette like her either.” Duncan exclaimed in order to ease the tension Jeff was exuding.</p><p>Jeff blinked, and kept his mouth shut tight, holding in a less than nice comment. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then spoke again. “I’m going to need that second round of drinks. And then you can begin explaining how you mysteriously vanished for a year.”</p><p>Duncan got up and walked back over to the bar. A few minutes later he came back with two drinks, another scotch for Jeff, and a pint for himself.</p><p>“Now, where do I begin.” Duncan said with his eyes looking down at his pint, and took a breath before looking up again to speak. “Well, after the whole Subway-thing, I was technically not employed by the school anymore. I decided to go back home to look after my mother. I worked for a bit, and then earlier this year, she passed away. Afterwards, I didn’t have much to remain there for, so I reached out to Craig and got my job back seeing as I never got replaced.” </p><p>“Sorry to hear about your mother, Ian.” Jeff said, genuinely feeling bad for Duncan, for once. </p><p>“It’s alright. Nothing a few more pints can’t solve.” Duncan said with a shrug. “And I definitely need more of them given that I’m being hounded like a dog every day at work by your favorite efficiency consultant.”</p><p>Jeff laughed slightly at that. “About time someone took the focus away from me.”</p><p>The two continued catching up for a while after that, until Jeff headed back home with an uber around 10:30, completely fine with calling it a night early for once. Catching up with Duncan had been nice, but he wasn’t sacrificing his sleep for it. He spent the remainder of the weekend relaxing at home and working out, giving him a surprising glimpse into how empty his life at times was before Annie became an every day thing, and outside of being with the group.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Monday afternoon Jeff found himself relaxing once again, simply taking a breather after work before he intended to head off to the gym. A bit unexpectedly, he heard a knock on the door. “Who is it?” He called out loud enough for whoever it was to hear it.<p>“It’s Annie. Can you let me in?” The response was, and Jeff found himself slightly confused. They usually talked before she came over, and at this time of day he could just as easily be at the gym as at home.</p><p>Jeff walked over to the door, and opened it in. There he found Annie, as advertised, dressed in her normal jeans and colorful shirt combination. “Hey there.” He said, and leant down to give her a quick kiss.</p><p>“Hey.” Annie returned with a gleeful smile once they let go of each other.</p><p>“Come in.” Jeff said, and stepped aside. Once Annie moved past him, he decided to ask her what had eluded him so far. “What are you doing here?” </p><p> “I have some news for you.” Annie began, practically squealing with excitement.</p><p>Jeff looked at her a bit confused, mostly finding her dramatic pause a bit unsettling. “Okay?” He asked.</p><p>“I’ve got another job interview!” Annie exclaimed joyfully, her smile bright and wide across her face.</p><p>Jeff closed the gap between them instantly and gave her a big hug, with Annie tucked close to his chest in a warm and happy embrace. “That’s great news Annie!” Jeff exclaimed, truly happy for her. However, once they let go, he had an important question to ask. “But where?” He added, with a tinge of nervousness. He had said he would follow her, but it was still a big move, wherever she might end up.</p><p>Annie kept on smiling, looking like nothing could ever bring her down again as she spoke again. “That’s the best part! You didn’t let me get to it before you hugged me, idiot.” She said and pushed his shoulder lightly, ending the sentence, the suspense killing Jeff where he stood.</p><p>“Come on, just tell me. This suspense is killing me Annie.” Jeff said, impatient to know.</p><p>“It’s in Denver! I got an interview with the Denver FBI in three days!” Annie said cheerfully.</p><p>Jeff’s eyes lit up. “Annie, that’s amazing!” He said instantly, but that was only the beginning of it.</p><p>“I was called up saying they had seen my application, and that they got a glowing recommendation from the D.C. office. They apparently have some older forensic researcher retiring in a few months, so they are promoting someone from within.” Annie started explaining.</p><p>“But wouldn’t that leave the position closed?” Jeff instantly asked, interrupting her.</p><p>“The high-level position, yes. But they’re shuffling a few people up in response, which will leave the entry level position open once the older researcher retires. Normally they want to hire someone with experience, but they noticed that I’m in Greendale, so they were wondering if I would be interested in taking a lower paid job as an assistant until the researcher retires, and then I can be moved into a forensic researcher position if all goes well.” Annie responded careful, trying to remember all the details.</p><p>Jeff’s eyes narrowed slightly, getting a bit worried. “Wouldn’t you get a researcher position right away in Arizona?” He asked her.</p><p>“Yes, but this is the FBI, Jeff. That was a police department.” Annie countered.</p><p>“Just…don’t feel like you need to pick this because of me.” Jeff said, and his head fell a little.</p><p>“Jeff…I’m not just doing it because of you. This is a great chance. I want to be with the FBI. That’s why I went to D.C., because the opportunity was too great to pass. Being an assistant for a few months in Denver is better than being a researcher for the police in Phoenix. And it makes sense. It makes sense for me to stay, Jeff. You are here, my friends are here, and it saves me the trouble of moving, to get a new contact network, the pain of leaving people behind. And you don’t need to go anywhere either. It makes sense, Jeff. And it’s the FBI. It’s not a sacrifice, it’s an opportunity.” Annie argued, sensing where Jeff going with that train of thought.</p><p>Jeff closed his eyes and took a breath. “I get that Annie, it’s just…I can’t shake the feeling that I’m holding you back.” He said, trying to rationalize his thinking.</p><p>“You’re not. Get Frankie out of your head, and look at me, please.” Jeff did as she said, and looked down into her eyes, and she looked both intimidating and soft all at once. “I am doing this because it makes sense both for my career and personal life. It’s the perfect combination, Jeff. Can you stop beating yourself up and just be happy, please?” Annie pleaded with him, trying to get him to understand where she was coming from. </p><p>“Okay, I’m sorry. If that’s what you want to do, then I support you, one hundred percent. I just…had to be sure.” Jeff said, giving her a tight-lipped smile.</p><p>Annie reciprocated the smile. “It’s okay Jeff. I appreciate that you worry about me, but I think this is better in every way, so this is what I will do.” She repeated.</p><p>“Well, I guess that calls for a celebration then?” Jeff said, trying to get the mood back up again.</p><p>“Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves, okay? They seemed very positive and nice, and it seems like it’s only a formality, but I don’t want to celebrate and then not get the job, you know?” Annie said, wanting to calm it a bit down again.</p><p>“If you say so. You’re going to get it though; I know you will. They’ll absolutely love you, and they’d be idiots if they don’t hire you on the spot.” Jeff said positively, showing total faith in her abilities.</p><p>“Aw, Jeff.” Annie cooed in appreciation. “That’s so sweet of you. Thank you for that, it means a lot that you believe in me. I really do hope I get it.” She said happily, then remembered something. “By the way, it’s on Thursday at 2 PM. Are you available to drive me?” </p><p>“I should be free then. I’ll pick you up after work so we’ll have time to spare.” Jeff confirmed.</p><p>“When are you done at work?” </p><p>“Around 12. I’ll try to get out as quickly as possible.” </p><p>“Okay, that sounds like a plan then.” Annie said with a contented smile. “Got any ideas for what you’ll do in the city while you wait for me?”</p><p>Jeff’s face scrunched up a bit, trying to think. “I’ll think of something. Big city, so there should be something to do.”</p><p>“Definitely.” Annie said. “But for now, want to crash on the couch and watch tv?” She asked, her eyes drifting over to the aforementioned couch.</p><p>“<em>Actually</em>, I was planning on going to the gym. Do you want to come with?” Jeff asked instead.</p><p>“I don’t exactly have gym clothes on me though...” Annie said, and looked down at her clothes, which were very unsuitable for gym purposes.</p><p>“I can drive you back home so you can change if you’d like? As a treat, I’ll help you out with some exercises.” Jeff offered her.</p><p>“Hm. I could need some pointers, and I have been slacking a bit. Also, going together sounds fun.” Annie said, thinking a bit out loud. “I’ll join you!” She finally concluded.</p><p>“Great, I’ll just grab my things and then we can go.” Jeff said, then walked further inside, before returning moments later with his gym bag. </p><p>The pair drove off to apartment 303, where Annie ran inside for five minutes, to the amusement of Britta, before heading back out again dressed in her gym attire – tights, tank top and a zipper hoodie. They drove back towards Jeff’s place and to the gym, and parked outside. Normally Jeff was fine walking there, but he’d rather save the extra trip this time. Jeff went into the men’s locker to get changed, while Annie stood nearby waiting for him. Soon enough Jeff walked out, and was met by her happy smile. </p><p>“You ready?” He asked.</p><p>“I was the one waiting Jeff.” Annie responded with some sass.</p><p>“Oh, I’m not talking about that. I meant: are you ready to get your ass kicked?” Jeff clarified, and gave her a teasing look.</p><p>“No! Because I’m going to kick <em>your</em> ass.” Annie said in a defiant tone.</p><p>“We’ll see about that.” Jeff responded smugly.</p><p>They got started with Jeff’s plan for the day, which was to work out his back. They took turns using the equipment, which turned out to be a bit extra work, due to Annie lifting far less than Jeff. After a warm-up set of cable rows, they started doing deadlifts. Annie’s form wasn’t the greatest, as she wasn’t used to doing them yet, so Jeff decided to help out.</p><p>“Annie, put the bar down.” Jeff said, his arms crossed over his chest, looking at her with a confused expression.</p><p>“Why?” Annie asked in confusions, but did as he said and put it down.</p><p>“Because.” Jeff said, then bent down into position. “I’m going to show you how to deadlift without murdering your own back.” He said, then performed the lift and sat the bar down again. “Watch my back while I’m doing it. I keep it straight, and I avoid looking like a camel.” He explained, and Annie pouted with her arms crossed.  “No offense.” Jeff quickly added. “..while I pull the bar up. You can’t just pull it up with your back. You need to keep your back solid, and push up with your legs. Watch me again.” He said, then did the movement slowly so Annie could see how he did it. “Now you try it.”</p><p>Annie scowled at him, but moved to swap positions with him, and bent down as Jeff had done and performed the lift. She still wasn’t starting off right, so Jeff got close again. “Okay.” He said. “You’re closer, but you still need to straighten out your back before you start lifting. Bar should be up against your legs so it’s not too far in front of you, and then you stand up while pushing yourself up with your legs. Try again.” He said encouragingly.</p><p>Annie tried once again, for a few repetitions and set it down again. Jeff looked at her while she did it, studying her form. “So, how did I do, Mr. Gym Expert?” Annie with a bit of a sour tone.</p><p>“Annie, that was much better. I didn’t mean to say you were doing poorly or anything, and sorry about the comment. I just don’t want you to get a bad habit with your form and end up injuring yourself.” Jeff said, trying to defuse things, sensing that Annie wasn’t enjoying being corrected.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m sorry. I just... I suck at this gym thing, and I’m not used to that." Annie sighed. "I just get frustrated when I don’t get things right away, and I get a little crazy.” Annie said with some dejection in her voice, feeling bad for snapping at him like that.</p><p>Jeff reached out to hold her shoulders gently, and looked down at her sad form. “Annie, you’re <em>my</em> crazy, and I love that about you. Also, you’ve helped me and everybody else far more than I can count, so it’s only fair that I help out with what I know. Which is this. I know four things very well. I know law, I know how to work out, to eat healthy, and I know that I’m crazy about you.” He said, looking down into her sad, blue eyes while he did.</p><p>“Awww, Jeff!” Annie cooed, before she tiptoed up a gave him a quick peck on the mouth. “Thank you so much for saying that. I’d be glad to get your help.” She said shortly after, grateful for his kind words.</p><p>“Annie, we’re in public. No PDA, remember?” Jeff reminded her, calling back a discussion they had themselves regarding keep the relationship fairly hidden for the time being.</p><p>“I know. I just wanted to." Annie said with a mischievous smile. "Also, that guy in the blue shirt has been eyeing me for the past fifteen minutes, so that should keep him away." She added in a hushed manner</p><p>“Who?” Jeff asked, then looked around the room, before he noticed a guy in a blue shirt looking over there, before quickly averting his eyes elsewhere.</p><p>“Jeff! Don’t do anything, he got the point.” Annie said, while holding his arm tightly so he wouldn’t walk over there.</p><p>“<em>Fine.</em>” Jeff relented. “Shall we continue?”</p><p>“I think we should.” Annie agreed.</p><p>“Okay, let’s re-rack the weights and then we move on to face-pulls.” Jeff instructed.</p><p>“What in the world is face-pulls?” Annie asked with a laugh, clearly very amused by the name of it.</p><p>“I’ll show you.” Jeff said, rolling his eyes at her.</p><p>Annie kept laughing at him. “It sounds ridiculous.” </p><p>Jeff sighed. “Looks ridiculous too, but your shoulders and upper back will thank you for it later. Trust me.” </p><p>“Alright, lead the way then.” Annie said, and picked up the lightest of the discarded weights Jeff had used. They cleaned up after themselves, with Jeff stressing how important proper gym etiquette was, and Annie couldn’t say she disagreed. It was much easier for everyone if things were put back where they belonged. </p><p>Jeff and Annie got through the rest of the session with only some minor giggles from Annie as Jeff showed her how to do face-pulls properly, and then headed back home again, with Annie quite worn out, while Jeff had spent more of his time showing Annie the ropes rather than working out himself. However, it had been fun, as things often were with Annie alongside him. He stopped outside of the entrance to her apartment complex as he often did when dropping her off, saving her the walk from the parking spot and to the apartment. </p><p>“Ehm, so, I’m busy tomorrow, but I’ll see you on Wednesday?” Annie asked tentatively to confirm that Jeff would still be driving her.</p><p>“I’ll see you then. Love you.” Jeff said, then closed the gap between them for a chaste kiss. </p><p>“Love you too.” Annie said, her eyes still closed. She opened them, then slowly pulled away from him and exited the car with her bag, happy with how the day had turned out. Inside the car, Jeff watched her enter the building with a smile on his face – things could actually work out perfectly for them both.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff drives Annie to her job interview, then spends the time catching up with someone to pass the time.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em>Omw in 5</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 12:13 PM</p><p><em>Please hurry, I don’t wanna be late for the interview!!!</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 12:13 PM</p><p><em>We have almost two hours, and it’s a half an hour drive, maybe 45 min tops. You’ll be fine. See you soon</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 12:14 PM</p><p><em>Just hurry!!</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 12:14 PM</p><p>Jeff left the last message on read. He was already a few minutes late after being held up by some questions after class, and responding to her would just make him walk slower to the car. He felt his phone buzz a few times more, but decided to ignore it. He knew Annie was a little bit stressed, but he couldn’t do anything about it by answering her texts. He just had to get there, and get her in the car and on the way to Denver.</p><p>He arrived outside of 303 around 12:20, and found Annie waiting outside of the entrance to the building with her arms crossed in front of her chest, and an angry scowl on her face. Jeff pulled up in front of the door, and allowed Annie to step inside. “Hey gorgeous.” Jeff said, and leaned over to give her a kiss.</p><p>Annie leaned away from him, so he couldn’t reach her, and scowled at him again. Jeff looked at her concerned, but he knew why she was like this. “Jeff, not now. Just drive.” Annie commanded.</p><p>Jeff sighed, but did as she said. Once out on the road, he felt like he had to explain, at least try to get Annie to understand. “Annie, I’m sorry that I’m late. Class ran a few minutes late, and then I got a bunch of questions.” Jeff tried to explain.</p><p>“Jeff, when you say you’ll pick someone up at a specific time, you do that. I don’t want to hear your excuses.” Annie said, while staring out the window.</p><p>“Annie, I can’t just tell my students to go screw themselves. I did my job, then I got out as soon as possible. I’m sorry you had to wait, but we’ll make it with plenty of time to spare.” Jeff said, and he felt himself getting annoyed too. </p><p>“Jeff, this is a job interview that can change my life. I think that’s a bit more important than answering some questions after class.” Annie said sourly. “And you didn’t even respond to my texts, or my call.”</p><p>Jeff sighed. “I was already walking to the car. I wouldn’t have walked any quicker by responding to more texts. I was already on the way.” He explained with a tinge of frustration to his voice. She was being unreasonable, especially given how much time they really had. He could feel his blood boiling inside of him. He was trying to be there for her as best he could, but she was letting her vision of the ideal plan getting slightly adjusted block that.</p><p>“I don’t care Jeff. Just drive.” Annie said, and turned completely away from him.</p><p>“You know what? No. You’re being completely unreasonable. Do you seriously think I would ever do anything to jeopardize your chances of getting your dream job? I would never do that. Ever. Nor would I purposefully make you wait. I’m sorry I was late Annie, but sometimes life doesn’t happen perfectly on schedule.” Jeff in an exasperated and annoyed tone, completely fed up with Annie acting like that.</p><p>“Ugh. I’m just stressed, okay? I’m nervous I’ll screw this up and be too excited or say something wrong. And then you were late and I feared I wouldn’t even make it on time, and that made it boil over for me.” Annie tried to explain to him.</p><p>“Annie, it’ll be okay. We’re going to make it with plenty of time to spare, there’s literally zero traffic right now since we’re way ahead of rush hours. And they are going to love you. It’s normal to be nervous during an interview, and they know that. But your enthusiasm and smarts will blow them away, and they will absolutely love you.” Jeff said encouragingly, hoping that he would reach through to her.</p><p>“I can’t just charm them into giving me the job Jeff, that’s not how it works.” Annie countered, not as convinced as Jeff was.</p><p>“Didn’t they call you?” Jeff asked to be certain, his eyes still focused on the highway ahead of them.</p><p>“Yeah?” Annie confirmed, not sure where he was going with that.</p><p>“From my experience, the fact that they called you means that it’s practically yours. If you were one of many, they’d just send you a standard email with a time you could show up for the interview. That they called you and said they liked you is a big, big thing. So just go in there, be Annie Edison, and they’ll be knocked out of their seats.” Jeff explained in a serious manner, speaking from experience regarding job interviews.</p><p>“I know that, but I just can’t help it.” Annie said with a frustrated sigh.</p><p>“If you want to, you can talk through what you want to say? I assume you planned something ahead of time.” Jeff offered, knowing Annie’s habit of wanting to practice things ahead of time.</p><p>Annie finally turned around to face him. “You’d do that?” She asked with a slightly surprised, but positive expression.</p><p>“Yeah, absolutely. Let me begin with this, as a starter so you can formulate some thoughts. Why do you think we should hire you?” Jeff began his mock interview with.</p><p>They went on to have a decent conversation on the way to Denver, and by the time they reached the city Annie felt like she had a good idea about how to put herself in the best light possible, with some encouragement from Jeff when she was being too modest. As he liked to point out, she both had a glowing recommendation from the D.C. FBI forensics department, and a likewise glowing recommendation from Greendale, where she had gotten credit for playing a big part in improving the school’s reputation. </p><p>Once they were driving into the city, Annie decided to ask about something. “So, did you figure out what to do while you wait?”</p><p>“I did.” Jeff confirmed cryptically.</p><p>“And what would that be?” Annie questioned further.</p><p>“I’m going to go visit my mom. She lives in the area, like ten minutes away.” Jeff explained to her just as he stopped for a red light.</p><p>“Oh, that’s nice. Does she…know about us?” Annie asked, her nervousness evident in her voice.</p><p>“Not yet. She knows that I’ve had a friend named Annie for years, but that’s it. I thought telling her now in person would be better than over the phone. Are you okay with that?” Jeff said, asking her just to be certain she was comfortable with it.</p><p>“Ehm.” Annie only managed to exclaim, not sure what to say.</p><p>“I don’t have to tell her you know. It’s okay.” Jeff said, and reached out his right hand to hold hers, squeezing it gently.</p><p>“No, she should know. You can tell her Jeff; you shouldn’t have to lie to her.” Annie returned with a tight-lipped smile.</p><p>“You sure?” Jeff asked, just to be sure.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Okay, I’ll tell her then. She’s going to love you, so don’t worry about that.” Jeff said, and held her tightly, rubbing his thumb over the top of her hand for comfort. </p><p>Minutes later, they arrived at the Denver FBI, where Jeff pulled up alongside the pavement in a free spot. “So, we’re here.” Jeff exclaimed.</p><p>“I guess we are.” Annie returned casually.</p><p>“Even got an hour to spare. How about that.” Jeff said teasingly.</p><p>“Jeff!” Annie said with some frustration at his teasing.</p><p>“I know, I know. But we still made it with plenty of time, so we’re still on schedule. Everything is going to go great Annie. You’ll go in there, and they will love you, because that’s what you do.” Jeff said encouragingly, wanting to get Annie happy and ready to go.</p><p>“Thank you. And I’m sorry for going a little crazy earlier. I’ll do what we talked about.” Annie said, and held on to him tightly.</p><p>“You’ll do great. Now go get ‘em.” Jeff said, and gave her a gentle push.</p><p>“Wait! Annie said, causing Jeff to instantly stop pushing her towards the door. “Kiss for good luck?” She asked, and gave him the doe eye look she knew he couldn’t resist.</p><p>Jeff rolled his eyes at her antics with a smile on his face, then brought her in close for a sweet kiss. “Good luck Annie. I love you.” He said once they separated.</p><p>“Thank you, I love you too!” Annie returned happily, then grabbed the handle to step out of the car. </p><p>“Call me as soon as you’re done and I’ll come as quickly as possible!” Jeff said as Annie was about to close the door.</p><p>“I will. See you!” Annie said, then closed the door, and waved him goodbye through the window as she backed off and walked into the building.</p><p>Jeff returned the wave, then drove off as soon as the traffic allowed him to.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p>Ten minutes later, he arrived in the driveway of his mother’s house, parked behind her car, and walked up to a door he hadn’t seen in a good while. He knocked on the door and took a deep breath. It had been a good half a year since he had seen his mom, and though they spoke on the phone on occasion, this was still making him nervous. </p><p>Truth be told, it was always slightly nerve wrecking to face his mom. Or it had been since his lawyer career went down the drain, anyway. After it got discovered he had been lying all that time, his mother was obviously upset. She was upset that despite all her efforts, Jeff had ended up much like his father. But she had forgiven him, and saw that little by little, he was becoming more open and honest. But for Jeff, that changed the second time his lawyer career got flushed. Not because he had been lying, but because he was ashamed. The same shame that kept him from telling his Greendale friends also kept him from talking to his mother. Eventually, he had reopened contact again, and things had been good since.</p><p>But that didn’t change that fact that visiting her was still something that made him nervous. She was one of few people he wanted to do better for in this world, and as much as it pained him to admit it, his mom’s opinion matter to him. And for the first time in a long time, he felt like he could reasonably say that his life was going better. Yes, he had moments of weakness, moments he was ashamed of, but he had someone there to pick him up and tell him it would be okay. Someone that he could finally admit to loving with all his heart. Telling his mother that, well, that was a scary prospect even though she would undoubtably be super excited. And that’s why he felt his hands getting sweaty and his breath hitching slightly as he stood there waiting for her to reach the door.</p><p>Finally, after what felt like hours, but probably was a mere half a minute, his mom opened the door. </p><p>“Jeffrey! So good to see you!” She exclaimed, and pulled him in for a hug.</p><p>“Good to see you too mom.” Jeff returned, and held her close.</p><p>His mom eventually let go of him, and stepped back so she could get a good look at him. She wasn’t a tall woman, nor particularly short, probably around 5’6 by Jeff’s estimation, but she still had to look up at him, like most people did. Her hair had become quite grey – she was in her 60s now after all, but she still kept her hair around shoulder length, slightly shorter than when Jeff was a kid, but still distinctively her. Thankfully he had gotten most of his facial traits from her, including his blue eyes, and the brown hair his mother used to have. </p><p>“Why don’t you come in?” His mother said, and gestured inside. Jeff nodded, and walked into the hallway, took off his shoes, then strolled into the living room. He hadn’t been there in a while, but the place largely looked the same as last time, a fairly standard suburban house, with some pictures of him in there. He clearly meant a lot to her, despite all of his flaws. </p><p>“So, why did you stop by?” Doreen asked gently once they had both sat down, clearly curious about the unexpected visit.</p><p>“I was in the area, so I figured I could stop by and say hi.” Jeff said with a shrug.</p><p>“Well you are always welcome here Jeffrey, feel free to stop by anytime you want to.” Doreen said with a fond smile.</p><p>The hint was unmistakeable, she wanted him to visit more often. He knew he probably should, but he didn’t want to make that promise and break it. “Yeah, I know.” He said, fairly noncommittally. He could see his mother’s face drop a little, but it could be helped. It would be worse if he made a promise he couldn’t keep.</p><p>“If I may ask, why were you in the area anyway?” She tentatively asked.</p><p>“About that, I have something I need to tell you, mom.” Jeff said, and took a deep breath.</p><p>“Oh?” </p><p>“I’m seeing someone right now.” Jeff said, and he felt a smile creeping up on his face as he did. He was so happy to be able to just say that. </p><p>“Oh Jeff, that’s great!” Doreen exclaimed, and she seemed genuinely happy to hear that. It probably was to be expected, Jeff thought to himself. This was the first time in many years he had told his mom he was dating anyone. “What’s her name?”</p><p>“Her name’s Annie.” Jeff said, and he figured that his mother knew who he meant.</p><p>“<em>The</em> Annie?” She predictably asked, sounding excited.</p><p>“Yup.” Jeff confirmed, and the grin on his face was impossible to hide now.</p><p>“Oh my god Jeffrey, I’m so happy for you!” She exclaimed happily once again, almost squealing at the revelation. “How did that happen, haven’t you two known each other a while?”</p><p>“We have. As you might remember, she went do D.C. over the summer.” Jeff began explaining.</p><p>“I do.” Doreen confirmed.</p><p>“Well, we stayed in touch, and she returned a little over a month ago. Things happened, we ended up kissing, and I asked her out on a date.” Jeff continued.</p><p>“What kind of date?” Doreen interrupted to ask.</p><p>“Candlelit dinner at my place.” Jeff responded.</p><p>“Aw, that’s so romantic!” She said happily, and Jeff could swear she sounded a bit proud of him.</p><p>“Well, might as well do it properly if I’m actually asking someone out.” Jeff added. “Either way, the date went well, and I guess we’ve been dating since then.” He added with a shrug and a smile.</p><p>“I’m so glad to hear that Jeffrey! Good that you finally got her, I’m sure you two will be very happy together.” Doreen said cheerfully, reminding Jeff that she remembered further back than he sometimes thought she did.</p><p>“I hope so too. So far so good, at least.” He replied with a chuckle.</p><p>“Is she the reason why you’re in the area?” Doreen asked him.</p><p>“Yes. I dropped her off at the FBI before coming here.” Jeff said a bit absentmindedly.</p><p>Instantly, Doreen’s eyes shot open. “What!?” She exclaimed.</p><p>“Okay, that came out wrong.” Jeff said with a slight laugh. “She has a job interview with the FBI, and since she sold her car before leaving for D.C., I drove her there.” He clarified.</p><p>Doreen’s facial expression instantly calmed down. “A job interview with the FBI? She must be pretty clever. What kind of position?” </p><p>“Forensic researchers assistant, for the time being. Talk of someone retiring in a few months, so she might step into a full researcher position then.” Jeff explained.</p><p>“Oh wow, she sounds pretty great if she can land a job like that with the FBI. Do you think she’ll get it?” Doreen asked, seeing as interview didn’t necessarily mean getting the job.</p><p>“Yeah, she’s pretty great.” Jeff agreed, with a twitch of his lip turning into fond smile. “And I do. She interned for the FBI in D.C. and got a great recommendation from them even though they didn’t have space to hire her. They called her up on Monday to set up this interview, and I seriously doubt they would have set up an interview on such short notice and by calling her if they didn’t really like her. Plus, she knows what she’s doing, and pretty much everybody she meets absolutely adores her, so I’m certain she’ll get it.” He added confidently, showing no doubt in Annie’s abilities.</p><p>“That’s good. Let’s hope she does get it, it’s an incredible opportunity.” Doreen said. “But speaking of her, when do you think I could meet her? I would love to meet the woman that finally got you all soft and emotional.” She added, curious to finally meet Annie.</p><p>Jeff felt his cheeks blush a tiny bit, thankfully hidden slightly due to his tan skin. “I’ll have to talk with her about that. But there’s something you should know. I haven’t really told her that I’m saying this, but her relationship with her parents is strained, to put it mildly. For that reason, I don’t want to push her to meet you either.” He carefully explained, hoping his mom wouldn’t take it badly.</p><p>Doreen’s face dropped a little bit. “Oh, I see.” She muttered out.</p><p>“I’m sure you’ll meet her eventually; I just don’t want to push that on her right away.” Jeff said, feeling he had to clarify. </p><p>“If it’s okay for me to ask, what happened between Annie and her parents?” Doreen asked carefully.</p><p>“I think I’ll leave that for Annie to say, it’s not really my story to tell.” Jeff responded right away.</p><p>“That’s fair. It’s good to hear that you care so much about her though, I can tell that you really do want her to be happy.” Doreen said. </p><p>Jeff gave her a slight smile. “I do. But enough how about that, how have you been doing?” He asked, wanting to change the subject.</p><p>“Oh, you know. I work a little, then I go back here, tend to the garden and watch some tv. The usual.” Doreen said, and waved her hand. </p><p>“Still working full time?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“I can still work, I’m not that old yet Jeffrey.” Doreen said with a little shake of her head, though she did give him a smile for his concern.</p><p>“I know, but you don’t really need to. You already have a nice home and no real financial concerns.” Jeff countered.</p><p>“It gives me something to do every day. It gets dreadfully boring to just hang around the house.” Doreen countered back. “I appreciate the concern though, it’s very sweet of you.”</p><p>“Just, if you feel like it’s getting tiresome, don’t feel like you have to, okay?” Jeff reiterated; he didn’t want to see his mom work herself to death after all these years. She had been a single mother for him for so long, and done so well for herself, so he felt that she shouldn’t need to work far into her 60s.</p><p>“I will quit if I feel like I’m no longer able to do it as well as I should, I promise that.” She responded reassuringly.</p><p>“Okay.” Jeff said, and gave her a tight-lipped smile. It was as good as he was going to get.</p><p>“How about you, how’s the teaching job treating you?” Doreen asked, turning the subject back around again.</p><p>Jeff took a deep breath, then spoke. “It’s going okay, I think. They’ve given me a bit more to do now. I’m not just teaching fundamentals of law, but more specific classes for those interested. It’s not the dream job, but I’m doing my best.” He explained.</p><p>“Are you happy with it?” Doreen asked him, her eyes studying his face intently for a response. Jeff was a good liar, his mother knew that much, but he had signs that could reveal it, just like any other person.</p><p>“Regarding work? Jeff asked in return for clarification.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Uhm, I’m not unhappy at least. It’s not my dream job, but I don’t feel miserable doing it either.” Jeff told her honestly.</p><p>“And what is it you want to do?” Doreen asked him instantly</p><p>“What I want is to be a lawyer, but I screwed up doing that both times I tried.” Jeff said with a tinge of frustration, and sighed.</p><p>“Then try again.”</p><p>“It’s not that simple mom. I’ve failed once, and I don’t have the money to start up again.” Jeff said, and felt his head fall a little.</p><p>“You don’t need to start at the deep end, Jeffrey. Try to get a job with a firm, get your foot in the door again. You still have some contacts, don’t you?” Doreen suggested gently.</p><p>“I’ve already got a decent paying job where the boss likes me, and I don’t really want to jeopardize that. Besides, I don’t want to work for them again.”  Jeff returned with some annoyance. He wasn’t touching his old firm, even with a ten-foot pole.</p><p>“Then don’t. Apply elsewhere, but use your previous contacts and record of previous court cases as a reference that you know your job. Apply somewhere you feel comfortable, and keep your current job until you find something that you like.” Doreen argued further, wanting him to take a chance.</p><p>“I’ll think about it.” Jeff said, then stopped for a moment, and spoke again. “Actually, I’ve been invited to this lawyer thing a few weeks from now, but I didn’t really plan to go. Could be a chance to reintroduce myself.” Jeff said, thinking a bit out loud.</p><p>“Yes! You should go, social events are great for refreshing old contacts and making some new.” Doreen said excitedly.</p><p>“I’ll think about it. No promises though.” Jeff said, and huffed out something that could be mistaken for a laugh.</p><p>“Great! I just want you to be happy, you know?” Doreen said, looking at him with that odd look of hers, that mix of pride, sadness and hope mixed into one.</p><p>“I know mom. I’m doing much better at moment, so you don’t need to worry.” </p><p>“I’ll always worry about you. But I’m glad that you’ve met someone that you can be happy with.” Doreen said, and smiled gently at him. “Now, but where are my manners. I realize we just sat down, and I didn’t even offer you anything to drink. Anything you want?”</p><p>“Coffee would be nice.” Jeff responded.</p><p>“Coming right up.” Doreen said, then bounced up with a surprising amount of spring for a woman her age, and strolled into the kitchen.</p><p>Jeff let out a bit of a breath once she was out of the room. He expected the questions, the worrying and the excitement about Annie, but it had still made him a tad nervous. It felt good to have that over with. The irony of this being self-afflicted wasn’t lost upon him. He didn’t visit often because he knew he’d be questioned, with good intentions, about how he was doing, but he also knew that if he actually visited more often, it probably wouldn’t be like that. He made a mental note to ask Annie about meeting his mom later on, and about looking into the event he had been invited to a while back, to see if he was still welcome.</p><p>Soon enough his mother came back, and they talked more casually about things for a good while, until Jeff felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw that it was who he expected – Annie. “Sorry, need to take this.” Jeff told his mother, who nodded understandingly. </p><p>“Hi Annie.” Jeff said once he picked up.</p><p>“Hi Jeff, just wanted to say that I’m done with the interview now.” Annie returned.</p><p>“How’d it go?” Jeff asked, curious to know.</p><p>“I think it went well. I’ll tell you the details when you get here, okay?” Annie responded secretively, sounding positive despite it.</p><p>“Okay, I’ll come right away. Be there in ten-fifteen minutes.” Jeff said, and got up from the comforts of the couch.</p><p>“Okay, I’ll see you soon. Love you.” Annie said.</p><p>“Love you too.” Jeff returned, then hung up. </p><p>Jeff turned to face his mom, and found her smiling giddily. “Come on, just say it.” Jeff said with a sigh.</p><p>“You’re so cute together! I can’t believe I just heard you say you love someone; never thought I would see the day.” Doreen exclaimed once Jeff let her, sounding so incredibly excited about it.</p><p>Jeff rolled his eyes a bit at her reaction. “Either way, I need to go now.” </p><p>“Yes, you better not keep your Annie waiting.” Doreen said, and stood up herself.</p><p>“Wouldn’t dream of it. Was good seeing you mom.” Jeff said as they walked towards the door, Doreen trailing shortly after Jeff.</p><p>“Was great seeing you too Jeffrey. Feel free to stop by whenever you want. And think about what I said, okay?” Doreen said, leaning her shoulder against the doorframe while Jeff tied his shoes.</p><p>“I will. And I will talk to Annie about meeting you. I’ll let you know.” Jeff confirmed, and opened the door.</p><p>“Talk soon then. I love you Jeffrey.” Doreen said.</p><p>“Love you too mom.” Jeff returned, then closed the door. </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p>Approximately ten minutes later, he arrived by the Denver FBI, and parked by the sidewalk once again. He made eye contact with Annie, who practically skipped towards the car and opened the door. “Hey there.” He greeted.</p><p>“Hey!” Annie returned happily, and sat inside before leaning over to give Jeff a chaste kiss.</p><p>“You sound awfully happy? I take it the interview went well? Jeff asked, looking at her with anticipation.</p><p>“It went really, really well!” Annie exclaimed happily. “They liked me a lot, and they really want to hire me!” She exclaimed, her body squealing with joy.</p><p>Jeff brought her in for a big hug, and held closely to him, with Annie squealing happily within his arms. “Annie, that’s amazing! I’m so happy for you!” Jeff said happily, and he could feel tears forming in his eyes.</p><p>“They said they’d write up the contract and send me the offer by the end of next week, and then hopefully I can start as soon as possible!” Annie exclaimed joyfully while Jeff held her.</p><p>Jeff let go of her, but then just as quickly moved his hand to the back of her head, wrapping his fingers in between the soft strands of her brown hair, and leaned closed the gap between their lips to give her a passionate kiss. He was so happy in that moment, and he put all that into the kiss, so much so that they both lost themselves in the moment. They could easily be seen by people walking by, but he couldn’t care less. </p><p>They let go of each other and opened their eyes again, both grinning widely. Jeff blinked his eyes a bit, trying to get rid of the pesky watery substance that had formed there.</p><p>“Jeff, are you crying?” Annie asked, somehow sounding happy at the idea of him crying in front of her.</p><p>“Ugh. I’m just happy that things are working out so well.” Jeff groaned, annoyed at himself.</p><p>“Hey.” Annie said, and reached out her hands to his, before looking up into his eyes. “Don’t worry, I promise I won’t reveal to anyone that you have a heart.” She said teasingly, getting a bit of laughter out of Jeff. They remained silent after that, with both of them looking at each other happily, not breaking the moment of bliss for anything in the world.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff drops some big news to Annie with short notice, forcing Annie to go shopping.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Decided to post this part, since the chapter had started to get really long. Part two will hopefully be out soon!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Annie, I forgot to ask you something.” Jeff suddenly asked. They were standing in his kitchen, cooking dinner together on Tuesday night. </p><p>Annie had been busy over the weekend, having spent some time visiting her bubi. She had gone while Jeff was still at work on Friday, causing Britta to drive her there, which was always an adventure. As a result, they were catching up on lost time now, with Annie spending one night in her own room before heading over to Jeff’s place the day after.</p><p>“Oh?” Annie exclaimed, turning her head away from the vegetables she was cutting for their chicken soup. </p><p>“I have this invitation to a party in Denver for lawyers, and I was wondering if you wanted to be my plus one?” Jeff asked, his voice hopeful.</p><p>“What kind of party are we talking? Do I need to dress nicely or is it just some casual thing?” Annie asked instantly.</p><p>Jeff chuckled slightly at her questions. She was clearly already planning mentally. “It’s a formal dress party, they’ve rented a hotel ballroom. It’s this annual thing that I get invited to but haven’t gone to in forever.” He clarified.</p><p>“When is it?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Friday.” Jeff replied instantly.</p><p>“<em>This</em> Friday?” Annie asked, her eyes staring daggers right into his soul.</p><p>“Yep.” Jeff confirmed.</p><p>Instantly, Annie felt her head spinning. She closed her eyes, rubbed her forehead gently, and then shot her eyes open again. “Why didn’t you tell me that sooner? I’ll need to get a dress, shoes, figure out my makeup….” Annie trailed off rapidly, sounding instantly stressed.</p><p>“I didn’t plan on going, but mom convinced me that I should, so I could have a pathway into the industry again. That’s why I didn’t tell you, I didn’t even get the idea before Thursday, then it kind of faded from my mind after the happy news you gave me. So, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. You don’t have to go if it’s too much work.” Jeff tried to explain, feeling bad about Annie getting thrown into a tailspin by the sudden revelation.</p><p>“No, it’s okay. I’ll figure it out. I want to go with you.” Annie said with a tight-lipped smile.</p><p>“You sure? It’s completely fine if you don’t.” Jeff asked, just to be certain.</p><p>“Yeah, I want to.” Annie said, and gave him a bit happier smile.</p><p>Jeff smiled happily. He had gotten a free chance to get dressed up with Annie, their first time as a couple. “It’s a date then.” He said proudly.</p><p>“It’s a date.” Annie returned, then continued cutting vegetables. “By the way, how was your mother?” She suddenly asked.</p><p>“She was good. Mostly just asked me about me and my life.” Jeff explained, while cutting a few chicken filets into smaller pieces.</p><p>Annie turned around again to look at him. “And what did you tell her?” She asked, curious to hear how he would put it.</p><p>“Well, I told her that I had finally gotten myself an absolutely adorable, smart and fantastic girlfriend.” Jeff said proudly, sounding so incredibly pleased with himself.</p><p>“Did you now? I hope you didn’t oversell me.” Annie said curiously. </p><p>“I think that’s impossible.” Jeff retorted immediately. </p><p>“Aw, Jeff!” Annie cooed, her face flushing slightly from all the compliments.</p><p>“She really wants to meet you.” Jeff added, figuring that this was as good a time as any to broach the subject.</p><p>“Oh. What did you say?”</p><p>“I didn’t promise anything, I just said I would talk with you about it. And I, uh, I mentioned that you don’t have a great relationship with your parents, so she’d understand if you didn’t want to right away.” Jeff explained.</p><p>“You said <em>what!?</em>” Annie exclaimed in shock, her eyes wide and nose flaring.</p><p>Jeff stopped what he was doing instantly, and turned to her. He could see that look on her face, a mixture of surprised, terror and anger rolled into one. “Annie, I only told her so she wouldn't get her expectations up. She sounded so excited and ready to meet you right then and there, but I didn’t want to push you into meeting her, certainly not without talking to you about it first. Especially considering your parents.” He tried to explain calmly.</p><p>“Jeff, I don’t want you to tell your mom those things, at least not without asking me first!” Annie exclaimed with frustration lacing her voice and demeanour</p><p>“I’m sorry Annie, I should have asked you first. I just felt like I had to lower her expectations first so you wouldn’t be pressured into going, but I shouldn’t have said that. If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t tell her any details.” Jeff said calmly, hoping she could forgive him.</p><p> “She probably hates my guts now.” Annie said, sounding defeated.</p><p>Jeff stepped closer to her, and comfortingly reached out to her hands. He noticed that she didn’t pull away, which put him a bit at ease. “What? Annie, no. I haven’t seen her that happy from me telling her anything in years. She wants to meet you, and I promise you that she’ll absolutely love you.”</p><p>“Are you sure?” Annie asked, looking at him questioningly.</p><p>“Yes, I am. I haven’t seen her be that excited in years, she will love you, I have no doubt about it.” Jeff reassured, his voice leaving no doubt.</p><p>“Okay. I’ll think about it. I need to figure out this dress issue first though.” Annie said, and gave him a little smile.</p><p>“Let’s finish dinner, and <em>then</em> we can figure out that.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s do that.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>The day after, Annie went back to her own apartment in the morning, armed with a plan for how she could get ready for Friday. She unlocked the door, and to her surprise found that Britta was awake.<p>“Good morning.” Annie greeted as she stepped into the kitchen, where Britta was peering into the fridge.</p><p>“Good morning, and welcome back. How was your night?” Britta responded, her voice still a bit raspy.</p><p>“It was nice.” Annie responded quickly. “But I need your help with something.”</p><p>That got Britta’s full attention. “You need <em>my</em> help?” She asked.</p><p>“Yes. Jeff invited me to a fancy-dress party this Friday, and I need a dress.” Annie explained concisely.</p><p>“Let me get this straight: You need a dress for this Friday?” Britta asked.</p><p>“Yes.” </p><p>“You’re crazy.” Britta uttered, sounding completely exasperated by her.</p><p>“I know. I told Jeff that, but I want to go. I know where I can get one, but I need to go to Denver. Can you drive me there and help pick one out?” Annie asked, her eyes pleading Britta for a yes.</p><p>“<em>Fine.</em> But we leave as soon as I’ve eaten, I need to be back by six.” Britta hesitantly agreed. </p><p>“Great, let me know when you’re ready!” Annie said excitedly, and started heading towards her room.</p><p>“Shouldn’t you eat something too?” Britta called out after her.</p><p>Annie stopped by the handle to her door to reply. “Already ate earlier.” She called back.</p><p>Britta walked to the kitchen doorway to avoid shouting. “You’re eating breakfast together too?” She asked.</p><p>“Yeah? What about it?” Annie asked, looking at Britta with a questioning expression.</p><p>“Nothing.” Britta responded, then walked back into the kitchen.</p><p>“Huh.” Annie uttered, then went into her room.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Half an hour later, the oddball duo was on their way to Denver in Britta’s slightly broken-down car. A part of Annie felt like she was being a bit of a hassle to the people around her recently regarding being driven everywhere. She borrowed Britta’s car in the morning sometimes to go shopping, and often Jeff would drive her to and from his apartment, though she sometimes took the bus too. If she got the job in Denver, she knew it was time to get her own car. Taking the bus all the way to Denver was out of the question, as was moving there. It wasn’t like she hadn’t missed having a car, but she sold the old one, and didn’t fancy being a new one until she knew where she would end up. But it seemed like things would work out perfectly now, a perfect mix of the comforts of Greendale and a life with more responsibility. And to live that life, she would need a car for herself.<p>“Britta, can I ask you something?” Annie suddenly said.</p><p>“Sure, ask away.” </p><p>“Earlier you got really weird after I said I eat breakfast with Jeff. Is there a reason for that?” Annie asked her straight up.</p><p>Britta sighed, then spoke. “Annie, do we have to? It’s not a big deal, I promise.” </p><p>“Yes Britta, I want both of us to be honest with each other. It’s better that we just let it out, rather than keep it inside of us. I don't want things to be weird.” Annie insisted.</p><p>“Okay, <em>fine</em>. It wasn’t the breakfast specifically, but it’s just weird for me to hear about how he’s treating you.” Britta conceded hesitantly.</p><p>“How he’s treating me? What do you mean?” Annie returned, slightly confused.</p><p>“He’s making you breakfast, dinner, driving you places, treating you well. It feels weird to see and hear about all of that. Me and him weren’t ever serious, but he never did <em>any</em> of that for me. I know we weren't even remotely serious, but it would have been nice if he at least did some of it, but whatever. It’s history now.” Britta explained, letting out some frustration of her own.</p><p>“Oh. I’m sorry Britta. I didn’t realize that, I shouldn’t have told you all of that stuff.” Annie responded, looking over at Britta with a sad expression.</p><p>“Annie, it’s okay. I’m glad he’s being good to you, you deserve that. It’s more that it’s odd to see how much he’s grown since, and how much different he is to you. That’s why I was so hesitant about you two together, I didn’t know if he had it in him to be a good boyfriend, but it seems like he does.” Britta responded, realizing that Annie felt bad about it.</p><p>“I’m sorry Britta. I’ll try to not talk about it as much.” Annie continued.</p><p>“No, Annie. You’re my friend, and it’s okay that you talk about your life with me. Besides, I asked you, so I shouldn’t have reacted like that. It’s just frustrating. Me and Jeff are <em>ancient</em> history, it’s not that. I’m just bummed that after all these years, it’s just me and the cats because I keep going after emotionally unavailable men.” Britta let in a huff of frustration with her own life.</p><p>“Britta, I’m sorry. Sorry I haven’t really been there for you.” Annie apologized further.</p><p>“It’s not your fault Annie. It’s just that, everybody is leaving. I’m stuck alone with the cats, still studying, while everybody else has left. Shirley’s gone, nobody has heard from Troy, Abed’s doing great in L.A., Jeff’s doing well at work and seems happy with you, and you’re about to go get your dream job while being happy with Jeff. Meanwhile I’m just here, in an endless cycle of failure.” Britta continued, talking herself into a frustrated rant about her own life.</p><p>“Britta, you’re going to be okay, you know?” Annie said, trying to console her.</p><p>“How can you say that when you’ve seen how I’m doing? I’m living on rent paid by my parents, my studies are going nowhere, I’m at a dead end job, I screw up with every guy I go after, and the one relationship I didn’t screw up, the guy was more interested in his friend and wasn’t emotionally ready, before he suddenly disappeared.” </p><p>“I’m saying that because you’re Britta, and you’re stubborn to a fault. You care so much; you just need to channel that better. I’m still here for you if you need help studying, and you are getting through that. And relationships aren’t easy, you’ll meet the right guy eventually. Maybe Troy will be back, and be ready then? Or maybe you’ll find someone else sweet and as passionate as you?” Annie responded encouragingly.</p><p>“How can you be <em>that</em> positive? Seriously, you’ve been through way too much, yet you’re still positive about things. Why?” Britta questioned.</p><p>Annie took a deep breath. “It’s not that I never have doubts. But I know that if I don’t at least try my best, nothing will happen. I’d rather try and fail than never try at all. Life isn’t over because you get a setback. My plan was never to go to community college, Jeff never planned to do anything but be a lawyer, Abed’s family didn’t want him to do film. Plans change, but we adapt to it, even if initially it might suck a little. But I know you, and I know that if you really want it to happen, then it will happen. You just need to convince yourself about it. Yes, the rest of us don’t go there anymore, but isn’t that even more reason for you to buckle down and finish?” Annie explained to Britta.</p><p>Britta remained silent for a bit as she parked the car, then spoke. “Sometimes I can barely believe that you’re 24.” </p><p>“What?”</p><p>“You’re the youngest in the group, yet somehow you’re also the smartest one of us.” </p><p>“Britta!” Annie gushed, her face reddening slightly.</p><p>“Thank you for listening to me rant a bit, was good to get it out.” Britta said calmly, while she faced Annie to finally look at her.</p><p>“Of course, Britta! I’m always here if you want to talk or just want me to listen.” Annie said, then pulled Britta in for a hug.</p><p>After the hug, Britta spoke again. “Thanks.” She said with a smile on her face. “Now let’s go get you a dress.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“What about this one?” Britta asked, holding up a long, puffy, light blue dress in front of Annie.<p>“Britta, I’m not going to prom. I won’t wear that.” Annie said, and turned back around to keep looking for something different.</p><p>“Come on, it’ll look great on you!” Britta argued.</p><p>“Maybe, but I don’t want to look like a high schooler at a prom when I’ll be surrounded by a bunch of lawyers.” Annie retorted while quickly filtering through various dresses.</p><p>“Ugh, fine. But you need to pick one eventually, you can’t keep rejecting everything.” Britta said with a groan. Annie was being really difficult to pick a dress for, and this wasn’t really what Britta planned to spend her day doing. </p><p>“I know.” Annie returned; a bit disinterested in her complaints.</p><p>Britta rolled her eyes, but turned back around to look through dresses on a different rack than the one Annie was looking through. Thirty seconds later, she found another one.</p><p>“Hey Annie, what about this one? You certainly won’t look like a girl at a prom in this.” Britta said, holding up a shorter, strapless, tight fitting red dress, which would definitely show off her cleavage.</p><p>Annie turned back around, and studied the dress Britta was holding up. “Okay I think that’s too far in the other direction. It’s nice, but not something I want for Friday.” </p><p>“What <em>do</em> you want then? And what do you mean by other direction?” Britta asked, a bit befuddled by Annie’s comment.</p><p>“I want something that’s classy, but still hot and a little cute. That dress is hot, but not very classy or cute. I like it, but not for now.” Annie clarified.</p><p>“Want to try it on at least?” Britta asked, and held it further out for Annie to grab.</p><p>“Fine, but I’m not wearing on Friday, so keep looking!” Annie said, then walked off to the changing room. </p><p>Annie came back out of the changing room a few minutes later, with Britta seated and looking at her. “What do you think?” Annie asked, and spun around. The dress was as it looked before she put it on, tight fitting, reached her knees, and definitely showed off her features nicely.</p><p>“Annie, Jeff’s going to flip if he sees you in that.” Britta said, her eyes wide in awe of Annie.</p><p>“Hope that’s a good flip?” Annie asked slightly nervously.</p><p>“Oh yeah, a very good flip. You were right, it’s not very classy, but definitely hot.” Britta said, and chuckled slightly at the mental image of Jeff seeing Annie in that. </p><p>“Should I get it?” </p><p>“Definitely.” Britta concluded.</p><p>“Okay, I’ll put it to the side for later. But keep looking!” Annie said, and shooed Britta away to the dresses again while Annie herself went to change out of the dress.</p><p>A few minutes later, Annie returned, dressed in her shirt and jeans combination yet again, and with the red dress back on the hanger. She hung it back up at the end of the end of the clothes rack, and made a mental note to pick it with her before she left. </p><p>“Okay Annie, prepare to get your mind blown.” Britta suddenly exclaimed. Annie turned around, prompting Britta to do the same, while holding a light-yellow dress.</p><p>Annie studied it, cocking her head slightly. “Nah. Too bright, looks like a nice summer dress through.” She exclaimed, then turned back around to keep looking. Britta silently cursed Annie for being so difficult to buy clothes with – who even cared about wearing fancy dresses anyway? Dresses were just the sexist fashion industry’s way of objectifying women even further and forcing them to spend more money than men did. Buying a dress was stupid.</p><p>Suddenly, Annie started squealing, causing Britta to turn back around. “What’s gotten you so happy?” Britta asked.</p><p>“Britta, you’re going to <em>love</em> this.” Annie said, then took off with dress in hand, shielding it from Britta’s view.</p><p>“What? I don’t even get to see it? What do you even need me here for?” Britta exclaimed in slight exasperation at Annie’s antics, then followed towards the changing room. </p><p>It took a little longer than last time, but Annie came back out of the changing room again, and did a twirl. “Do you think this will work?” She asked.</p><p>Britta studied Annie intently, looking per up and down, causing Annie to get a little nervous. Annie was dressed in a royal blue dress, with a fairly low cut and thin straps, the dress fitting perfectly around her upper body and waist, and a bit looser and free flowing under, with the dress ending at her knees. “Annie, you look stunning. That dress is absolutely perfect on you.”</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“If it’s Jeff’s approval you’re going for, then I guarantee you that you’ll get it. And I’m pretty sure every other guy at that party will be eyeing you down too.” </p><p>“Britta! I’m not there to seduce people.” Annie said, her face a bit flushed with embarrassment.</p><p>“I’m serious though, it’s perfect. It’s classy, cute and hot at once, exactly what you were looking for.” Britta reiterated.</p><p>“Good, because I really like it. Think I should get it?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Definitely.” Britta said sincerely.</p><p>“Okay. I’ll go get changed. Can you go grab the red one again?” Annie asked, then headed back into the changing room.</p><p>“Sure thing. Do you need shoes too?” Britta asked, with the curtain separating them.</p><p>“No, I have a pair that will fit this dress.” Annie called back to her, while zipping down the dress behind the curtain.</p><p>Annie got dressed again, then went and paid for the two dresses. It hurt her pockets, but at least she would look great in them, she tried to convince herself to make the void in her pocket seem a bit less painful. </p><p>Despite her best efforts, Britta declined to get a dress for herself, and settled for a needlessly long sweater she claimed would be perfect during the winter. Annie had her doubts about how good it looked, but decided to stay quiet about it. They grabbed some lunch together and had a good time, then headed back so Britta would have time to get ready for work. Annie saw her off with a hug, and thanked her for the help.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Thursday night, Jeff was starting to mentally prepare himself to get ready for bed when a text popped up on his phone.<p><em>Hey, when are you picking me up tomorrow?</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 11:03 PM</p><p>Jeff quickly typed out a reply.</p><p><em>Starts at 6, so I was thinking I’d be at your place at 5 in case of traffic?</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 11:04 PM</p><p>Just as quickly, Annie replied. Clearly waiting by the phone for him before heading to bed herself, he figured.</p><p><em>You sure we shouldn’t go a little earlier? Traffic can be really slow at those times, especially on a Friday?</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 11:04 PM</p><p>Jeff chuckled a bit to himself. Time was always of the essence for Annie. </p><p><em>We’ll be fine. Besides, it’s a party with lots of people, we don’t need to be there at the exact time they open the doors.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 11:05 PM</p><p><em>If you say so..</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 11:05 PM</p><p><em>Annie, we’ll be fine. I promise. Besides, if there’s ever a time to be fashionably late, it’s to an event like that.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 11:06 PM</p><p><em>Okay. Anyway, I’m heading to bed now. See you tomorrow! Love you!&lt;3</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 11:06 PM</p><p>Jeff smiled happily to himself from seeing that message. He could never imagine himself getting tired of hearing or reading those words when they came from Annie. He was hopelessly, irretrievably in love with her, and he would have it no other way. That it was mutual in the open now never failed to make him smile.</p><p><em>Love you too Annie. Good night!&lt;3</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 11:07 PM</p><p>Jeff got ready for bed with a smile after that, completely ready for the day to come. Being with Annie made him feel like he was 25 again, it made him feel excited for things to come, for the future ahead, and for silly events he had ghosted for years. He was going to go there, put out some feelers for firms looking for a lawyer like him, hopefully not interact too much with old co-workers, and have a good time with Annie. And it was going to be great.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff and Annie go to a big lawyer party in Denver.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day after, Jeff arrived at Annie’s door at exactly 4:55 PM, five minutes ahead of time in order to relax Annie a tiny bit. The extra five minutes likely didn’t matter, but it was the thought that counts right? At the very least, it was a nice symbolic gesture. Calmly, he knocked on the door, straightening up his attire just a tiny bit as he waited for the door to open.</p><p>To his disappointment, it was Britta that opened the door. “Hello Jeff.” Britta casually greeted. “Your date will be ready in just a moment.” She said, then stepped aside so Jeff could enter.</p><p>“Hello to you too. How are doing?” Jeff curtsied as he stepped inside.</p><p>“I’m doing alright, hanging in there at least. Tough to combine work and studies, but I’ve gotten some help with the studying.” Britta responded.</p><p>“Annie been helping you out?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Yup. She’s been quizzing me, helps make it stick better. Sometimes I feel like she knows it better than I do.” Britta explained.</p><p>“She’s pretty brilliant.” Jeff said, his eyes drifting towards the door to her room.</p><p>“Look at you, all mushy and in love. Quite the turnaround for the board-certified Spanish tutor.” Britta teased.</p><p>“You guys ruined me forever. I can’t even speak someone into believing my lies without feeling bad these days.” Jeff admitted, and laughed slightly.</p><p>A cocky grin started forming on Britta’s face. “You’re welcome.” She said proudly, to which Jeff simply rolled his eyes. “Looking forward to tonight?” Britta asked a few second later.</p><p>“A bit. It’ll be interesting, just hope I don’t run into too many of my former co-workers, I’d rather try to get to know some people from different firms.” Jeff responded.</p><p>Britta narrowed her eyes a bit at him. “Scared to meet them?” </p><p>“What? No. I’m going there to see if there’s a way back in for me, with a firm that’s more, how should I put this, more ethical than Hamish, Hamish and Hamlin were. I don’t want to go mingle with a bunch of people I’d rather not acknowledge that I even called friends once upon a time. If I’m going to try this again, I’m doing it properly.” Jeff explained to her.</p><p>“Oh, I see. Jeff Winger, <em>actual</em> hero at law this time.” Britta teased.</p><p>Jeff laughed slightly at the reminder, and shook his head with a smile. “Yeah, something like that.” </p><p>Suddenly, the sound of a door handle shifted their focus away from the conversation, and over to Annie’s door. Jeff looked over there, and saw Annie stepping out of her room, dressed in the royal blue dress she had bought, with her hair worn down like he absolutely loved, and the outfit complimented by the black stilettos she had worn for the paintball chaos at Greendale earlier in the year. The dress perfectly accentuated her eyes, it was a perfect fit for her. Jeff’s mouth went from slightly agape at the sight of her, to a big, big smile as he watched her stride closer and closer from her room.</p><p>Meanwhile, Britta stood there studying the expressions on their faces, a bit giddy from seeing Jeff that excited. “You should see the look on your face right now.” She whispered to Jeff.</p><p>“Shut up Britta.” Jeff retorted, without breaking eye contact with Annie. “Okay, <em>wow</em>. Annie, holy shit. You look so incredibly beautiful.” He exclaimed once she stopped right in front him, his eyes locked on her, admiring how gorgeous she looked in front of him. </p><p>“You don’t look too bad yourself Jeff, you clean up well.” Annie responded, her hands drifting up and down the soft fabric of his tuxedo jacket. Jeff had gone for the classic black tuxedo, with matching black leather lace up shoes and a freshly trimmed beard.</p><p>Jeff grinned happily from the compliment. “Ready to go?” He asked.</p><p>“Just wait a moment, I have something to tell you.” Annie said, keeping herself unusually calm. Sensing the importance of the conversation, Britta slowly faded away from their view.</p><p>“Oh?” Jeff asked, tilting his head slightly at her.</p><p>“I got the job!” Annie exclaimed suddenly and cheerfully.</p><p>Without saying anything, Jeff grabbed her and closed the gap between their faces, bringing her in for a hard, spontaneous and passionate kiss. He let go of her after a few seconds, his eyes closed and with a wide, happy grin. “Annie, that’s incredible! I’m so happy right now, I don’t even know what to tell you. This is the best news you could have possibly given me.” Jeff said, practically rambling in joy.</p><p>“Don’t worry, your reaction showed me everything I needed to know.” Annie said happily, and tiptoed up to give him a soft peck on the lips.</p><p>“Well I say this calls for a celebration. You ready to go?” Jeff asked suavely.</p><p>“Let me just get my coat, then I am.” Annie returned with an excited smile on her face and walked over to the coatrack. </p><p>Once Annie had put on her coat, Jeff opened the door, and hooked his left arm for her to grab onto. “Milady?” He asked gently.</p><p>“Milord.” Annie returned, and held onto his arm before they walked out of the apartment together, leaving Britta to lock the door behind them as she walked after them, shaking her head slightly at their antics.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“So, I guess this is the first time we go out in public together.” Jeff suddenly remarked as they were nearing Denver.<p>“Huh, I guess so. Except at the gym.” Annie responded, seemingly a bit surprised by that sudden comment.</p><p>“Yeah, we haven’t been all that secret over there, have we?” Jeff said with a slight laugh.</p><p>“No, we really haven’t. I think a guy and a woman going there together usually sends the message by itself, but your way of correcting my technique definitely reveals it.” Annie responded, giggling a bit at the thought.</p><p>“Oh you know you love it when I do that.” Jeff teased back.</p><p>“Mhm, I do. You’re actually very helpful, believe it or not.” Annie acknowledged, her mind fondly remembering Jeff holding her tight and adjusting her pose so she wouldn’t injure herself.</p><p>“Well, it’s my specialty. And I think I owe you a few gym lessons after all the schoolwork you helped me with.” Jeff responded, smiling at the happy tone they were sharing.</p><p>“A few.” Annie said and smiled. </p><p>“You two are disgusting. At least drop the PDA at the gym, guys.” Britta commented from the driver’s seat. </p><p>Jeff and Annie simply glared at her for a quick second, but didn’t respond. “But speaking of people, how many know by now?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Well, our kind driver here knows, and so does my mom.” Jeff stated, beginning with the obvious. “And, uhm, Duncan knows.” He added hesitantly.</p><p>“<em>Duncan</em> knows!?” Annie exclaimed loudly in shock.</p><p>“You told Duncan, but not the rest of the group? What the hell Jeff?” Britta commented.</p><p>Jeff seemed a bit taken aback by Annie’s sudden reaction, but managed to get out a reply after a few seconds. “Yeah, he, uh tripped me up about it.” </p><p>“You let <em>Duncan</em> trip you up? How? I didn’t even know that he was back?” Annie exclaimed, sounding annoyed with Jeff.</p><p>“He returned at the start of the semester. He asked me out for a drink like a week ago or so, and started asking about Britta. He didn’t believe that I was over her given what happened last time he was around, but I kept saying that it was in the past. He figured that I was seeing someone else, and then deduced it to be you.” Jeff explained a bit hesitantly, and took a deep breath to collect himself. “He named you like he was sure, and I just froze. I didn’t have a comeback or anything, so he concluded that it was you. And I just confirmed it to him.” Jeff kept explaining, hoping it would be OK.</p><p>“And what did he say?” Annie asked, looking at Jeff pointedly.</p><p>“He made some comment I’ll spare you from hearing, but said that he wouldn’t judge. I told him that we were keeping it quiet, and I don’t think he’s told anyone.” </p><p>“Ugh.” Annie groaned in frustration.</p><p>“Annie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it to get out.” Jeff said sincerely.</p><p>“It’s okay, it’s just annoying that he of all people knows. He’s not exactly the most discreet, Jeff.” Annie said while looking out of the window, her voice still a bit tense.</p><p>“He’s smarter than you’d think, at least when he isn’t drunk and insecure.” Britta added.</p><p>“I know he isn’t discreet. But maybe it’s time we tell people?” Jeff suggested, and looked over into her wide eyes to gauge her reaction. She turned to face him as soon as he did, feeling his eyes on her.</p><p>Annie looked at him, and studying him as if to be certain that he truly meant it. “Are you sure Jeff? We don’t know how the rest will react.” She asked, just to be certain that he meant it.</p><p>“I’m sure Annie. A few people already know, and now we’re going to a party together, as a couple. We should tell the group at least.” Jeff told her sincerely and honestly.</p><p>“You’re not worried about what they’ll say?” Annie asked, confused about why his stance had suddenly changed.</p><p>“I mean, Britta here already knows, and she seems okay with it. Frankie agreed to stay out of it. Abed will just say something about the will they or won’t they storyline being over. Elroy has gone quiet since he moved, and I doubt he cares. Likewise, Duncan doesn’t care, and I really doubt Chang does either. The only one I can imagine won’t be at least okay with it is Shirley.” Jeff argued, giving his views on how he imagined the others would react.</p><p>“Shirley….” Annie said, her mind drifting off a bit.</p><p>“She’ll accept it eventually. She’ll give some speech about God and marriage and how I better not hurt you ever, or else.” Jeff added, trying to reassure Annie in his own way.</p><p>“She cares about you too, you know.” Annie said.</p><p>“I know, but not as much as she does for you. But she’ll be okay eventually. It will all be fine.” Jeff reiterated.</p><p>“I know I might be interfering in your conversation here, but I support you guys. You’ve been through enough together by now, and you seem good together. I’m sure the others will be fine, like Jeff said.” Britta interjected herself into the conversation to say. </p><p>“Thank you, Britta, that means a lot to us. We just want to be happy, without being judged for it.” Annie said sincerely.</p><p>“Yeah, thanks Britta.” Jeff mirrored.</p><p>“How about we let them know tomorrow?” Annie suggested, looking at Jeff with a hopeful expression.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s do that. But first, let’s just enjoy tonight, okay?” Jeff suggested, and glanced a quick smile over at her.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s do that.” Annie said, and smiled back at him.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>A bit later the trio arrived at the hotel with 15 minutes to spare before it actually began, and Britta dropped them off a block away since the parking spots seemed full. They walked together the short distance to the hotel hand in hand, enjoying the fresh autumn air that was forming in Denver, while Britta drove back to Greendale. It was starting to get colder, with the holidays nearing closer, and for once Jeff found himself slightly interested in them. For now, though, he had a party to attend, one that could potentially decide his next step in his career. No pressure, right?<p>They walked inside the lobby, and was directed towards the coat check area, where Annie left hers. It got Jeff wondering about what ended up happening with Rachel, Abed’s…whatever she was.</p><p>“Annie, do you know what happened to Rachel?” Jeff decided to ask, instead of wondering more about it.</p><p>Annie looked at Jeff, slightly surprised by the sudden comment. “I don’t know, why do you ask?”</p><p>“Guess the coat check thing reminded me of her. She just kind of disappeared without Abed really saying anything about it.” Jeff clarified.</p><p>“Oh. I think she graduated, and moved away. I think they decided to try long distance, but I’m not sure where she went or what really happened to her. I didn’t really ask Abed about it. I figured it was a sensitive subject he would bring up himself through some movie trope of a long-distance relationship if he wanted to talk to me about it.” Annie explained as they walked towards the entrance to the ballroom. </p><p>“That’s a shame. They seemed good together.” Jeff commented, even though he never really got to know Rachel all that well personally.</p><p>“Yeah, they did.” Annie agreed.</p><p>They stopped behind a few other people in line, and waited patiently to get their names checked off the list. “Name and ID please.” The door guy asked once they were first in line.</p><p>“Jeff Winger.” Jeff said, and handed over his driver’s license.</p><p>“And this is?” The door guy asked, gesturing to Annie.</p><p>“Annie Edison, my plus one.” Jeff replied. “Do you have any ID on you?” Jeff turned to ask Annie.</p><p>Annie reached into her purse and handed over her own license. </p><p>“Alright, everything appears to be in order, you can step inside.” He said after checking their names on his list, and handed them both their licenses back.</p><p>As they walked inside of the ballroom, Annie turned her head around and looked up at Jeff. “So, what do you usually do at these things?” She asked.</p><p>“Well, you usually just talk with fellow lawyers, maybe strike up some new contacts and stuff like that.” Jeff explained, as they headed towards their table spots.</p><p>“No bickering between defense lawyers and public prosecutors?” Annie asked teasingly.</p><p>“Oh, it’s happened. A few have been less than pleased with me too, you know.” Jeff said.</p><p>“What did you do?” Annie asked as they finally found their reserved spots and sat down.</p><p>“I, uh, convinced the jury that going double the speed limit while intoxicated was reasonable because his girlfriend was cheating on him. Talked them out of suspending his license and he got away with only a fine.” Jeff explained, a sheepish smile forming on his face. It was a funny story in hindsight, but not something to be proud of.</p><p>“Jeff, that’s awful!” Annie said, sound a bit sad about hearing that anecdote from his past.</p><p>“Yeah, I know. It’s not something I’m proud of. The public prosecutor’s office was displeased that I had helped set a bad precedent for future drunk driving cases. At the time, I was proud that I managed to win a case where we had no right to do that, but in hindsight it was pretty awful, yes.” Jeff added, just to be sure Annie knew he didn’t stand for things like that anymore. He supposed that was the issue with his old self, he didn’t stand for anything. Now he felt like he had a moral pillar to stand on, a basis built up by his friends, the ones that had helped change him for the better. And now he had Annie as a separate pillar beside it to help carry the load.</p><p>“Well, let’s hope that nobody remembers it.” Annie said, her eyes drifting around the room to see if she recognized anyone.</p><p>“Doubt anyone does. The supreme court dealt with a similar case a few years back, and went the opposite direction, so my case holds no precedent anymore.” Jeff added, knowing it would comfort Annie to know that.</p><p>“That’s good.” </p><p>“Yeah.” Jeff said, with a slight huff of laughter as he ran his fingers quickly through his hair.</p><p>“So, do you recognize anyone here so far?” Annie asked, her eyes still drifting around the room, realizing that she knew absolutely nobody there.</p><p>“Not from my old firm, but I recognized a few heads of other firms though, plan is to talk with them, see if I can figure anything out.” Jeff explained.</p><p>“You should go now, before more people show up.” Annie encouraged.</p><p>“Want to come with?” Jeff asked cheerfully.</p><p>“Jeff, I don’t even know what to say.” Annie said slightly nervously.</p><p>“Neither do I. Just come, I’ll be a bit calmer if you do. Please?” Jeff asked pleadingly.</p><p>“Okay. Lead the way then.” Annie said, giving him a tight-lipped, but still slightly nervous smile. She was here as his plus one after all, if he wanted her nearby to help, she would give it a shot.</p><p>Jeff stood up, and offered his hand to Annie. She took it with a smile, and stood up and walked with him across the room. They walked over to a man in his late 50s whom Jeff recognized as one of the ones he wanted to talk with.</p><p>“Excuse me, are you Brian Miller?” Jeff carefully asked as he approached the man.</p><p>“Yes, that would be me. Do I know you, mister?” Brian asked in return.</p><p>“Winger. My name is Jeff Winger.” Jeff said, giving him a gentle smile.</p><p>“Hm, that name seems vaguely familiar, though I can’t say I recognize you.” Brian said, studying Jeff’s appearance carefully.</p><p>“No, I don’t think we ever met personally. I used to be a lawyer a few years back, but ended up re-rolling in community college.” Jeff explained, intentionally remaining vague on the details.</p><p>“Oh, are you the guy who got disbarred for having a fake college degree?” Brian asked directly, sounding slightly amused.</p><p>“Yeah, that would be me.” Jeff admitted sheepishly.</p><p>“And now you’re here to crawl your way back?” Brian asked slightly mockingly, still very direct in his line of questioning.</p><p>“Well, I did try right after I graduated. Had an offer from an old co-worker to be a partner, and from my old firm. I rejected them, and decided to try to start on my own, do things differently. But it failed, and I ended up accepting an offer to be a law professor at the school I went to instead.” Jeff explained.</p><p>“Right. What firm did you work for again?” </p><p>“Hamish, Hamish and Hamlin.” Jeff responded, his eyes studying Brian’s for an immediate response.</p><p>“Ugh, those guys.” Brian said, his disgust evident.</p><p>“Yeah, they’re not great. I did some bad things working for them, which is why I declined the offers I received. If I’m going to be a lawyer again, I want to do it right.” Jeff clarified, feeling like he had to make sure Brian knew he had no intentions of returning to his old ways. </p><p>“Ah, the truth is finally out.” Brian stated, and Jeff felt a chill down his spine. “But where are my manners, who is this lovely lady at your side?” He added, gesturing to Annie.</p><p>“Oh, this is Annie, my girlfriend.” Jeff said, slightly thrown off by the sudden change in subject.</p><p>“Nice to meet you, Annie.” Brian said, and gave her a nod and a smile. “What do you for a living?”</p><p>“I studied up until the summer. Then I interned with the FBI in D.C. over the summer, and just earlier today I got offered a job with the Denver FBI as a forensics’ assistant.” Annie explained, trying to give Brian a kind smile. Internally however, she didn’t like his demeanor. He was too negative, like he was cross-examining Jeff on the spot.</p><p>“Congratulations on the job! You here to celebrate?” Brian exclaimed, far kinder all of the sudden. </p><p>“No, I was going with Jeff either way. Just a happy coincidence that I got offered the job earlier today. I’m sure we’ll celebrate a little bit though.” Annie responded, trying to sound happy despite her lingering annoyance towards Brian.</p><p>“Well, I hope you two have a good time tonight.” Brian said, addressing both of them. “And Jeff, I appreciate your honesty, but I don’t think a you’re the profile my firm is looking for.”</p><p>“That’s okay.” Jeff said, putting on a brave smile despite his feeling of dejection.</p><p>“Now if you’ll excuse me, I heard that the mousse is great tonight, and I want to try it before they run out.” Brian said politely, then walked off.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Jeff and Annie watched him walk off in silence, and once he was far enough away, Annie turned around and looked up at Jeff, her eyes showing worry. “Jeff, are you okay?” She asked carefully.<p>Jeff remained silent for a few seconds, simply collecting his thoughts. “It’s okay. I knew it would be hard to convince some of these people.” </p><p>“Jeff, he was needlessly harsh on you.” Annie said, and reached her hand out to his arm to rub her thumb gently over his forearm. </p><p>“Look, it’s his right to try to figure out who he thinks he is. If he doesn’t want to hire me, then that’s fine.” Jeff said, and tried to put on a brave face for her.</p><p>“He was a jerk anyway, don’t worry about it. You’ll find the right, place, we’ll just keep looking.” Annie encouraged. </p><p>“Yeah, I guess so.” Jeff returned, and looked down at her fondly. It was good to have her positivity along with him when shit hit the fan. “How about I get us some drinks?” He suggested in an attempt to move the focus away.</p><p>“Sure. I’ll be right here.” Annie agreed.</p><p>“Anything specific you want?” </p><p>“An appletini?” Annie asked with a big smile on her face.</p><p>“Annie, come on. <em>Please</em> don’t make me order that.” Jeff pleaded.</p><p>“<em>Please</em>?” Annie said, and gave him the eyes he couldn’t resist for all in the world</p><p>Jeff rolled his eyes at her with a smile, before running his hand through his hair and shaking his head. “Alright, an appletini coming right up.” He reluctantly agreed, but in truth he never stood a chance of saying no. </p><p>Annie smiled happily, and watched Jeff head over to the closest bar in the room. Jeff approached the bar, and after half a minute got the chance to order.</p><p>“A Macallan neat, and…an appletini.” Jeff said, and exhaled loudly.</p><p>Without a comment, the bartender got to work, and poured him the two drinks. Jeff paid and was about to pick up the drinks when suddenly a familiar voice rung out behind him.</p><p>“Tango! Is that you?” He heard, and suddenly the owner of the voice appeared alongside him. “It <em>is</em> you! Imagine seeing you here, Winger.” </p><p>“Alan.” Jeff responded coldly, and reached for the drinks to walk away.</p><p>“Oh, come on man, don’t be like that. It’s good to see you Winger, what are you doing here?” Alan said, trying to strike up a conversation despite Jeff’s obvious annoyance.</p><p>“Just figured I’d stop by for once.” Jeff said dismissively.</p><p>“You’re looking for a way back, aren’t you?” Alan asked in a highly leading manner. “How about this? I can get you a job with the snap of my finger. Say the word and I’ll make it happen. That way you won’t have to go around here kissing people’s asses.” He quickly added before Jeff had the chance to respond.</p><p>“Not interested.” Jeff said with his annoyance obvious.</p><p>“What happened to us man? We used to be so close, we’d go to bars, pick up chicks and leave ‘em in the morning. And then we’d detail how hot they were, sneak in some pics now and then. We were amazing Winger. Why can’t we be Tango and Sundance again?” Alan said, trying desperately to appeal to Jeff’s sense of nostalgia, and how easy life used to be.</p><p>“You happened.” Jeff replied coldly. He didn’t want to return to the past, to the careless life he lived with the likes of Alan. Yes, he had more worries now, things were more complicated, more stressful than he might have liked. But that he had worries meant that he cared. And that was the issue with old Jeff. He didn’t care about anything other than how he looked; the other stuff was insignificant stuff he could talk his way out of no problem. Now he cared about things, and that’s how he felt it should be.</p><p>“Look, how about this. We get drunk and pick up some chicks, for old time’s sake. For example, what about that one.” Alan said, and pointed over to Jeff’s left. “The short brunette over there standing alone by the table on her phone. No guys in sight. <em>Hottie with a bodyyy!</em>”</p><p>Jeff didn’t even look over to where Alan was pointing, and instead just glared at Alan. “I’m not interested.”</p><p>“Oh <em>come on</em> Winger, don’t tell me you don’t want to hit that. Just look at that body, those great tits, and probably a firm ass. And she’s young too. Fuck, if you’re not going for it, I’m taking her home.” Alan continued, definitely crossing the line for what was appropriate.</p><p>Jeff finally relented and looked over there. Once he noticed who Alan was pointing to, a cocky grin appeared on his face. “You know what, I’ll do it. Watch me.” Jeff said, and picked up his two drinks and walked over there while Alan gazed over at him.</p><p>Jeff walked over to the aforementioned brunette, and handed her the drink. “Here.” He said, and placed his own on the tall, circular table beside them. </p><p>“What took you so long?” Annie asked.</p><p>“I met Alan. <em>Don’t</em> look over there, but he wanted me and him to go pick up girls, and pointed out you specifically. He thinks I’m picking you up right now and said stuff that was basically sexual harassment, so could we just do something to make him incredibly jealous before we tell him to fuck off?” Jeff said, keeping his eyes focused on Annie.</p><p>“He did what!?” Annie whispered angrily, and was about to look over there to him.</p><p>“Annie, don’t look over there. Can we just make him look like an idiot, and then we can go over there and tell him how awful he is?”</p><p>“Uhm, sure.” Annie hesitantly agreed, and set her drink aside before leaping up to kiss Jeff hungrily, purposefully making it super visible for everyone nearby to see.</p><p>They let go of each other, and in the corner of his eye, Jeff could see Alan’s shock at what Jeff just did. Annie reached for her drink, and walked over there, with Jeff picking up his and following right after. </p><p>Annie walked over to him, and swiftly threw her drink in his face. </p><p>“What the fuck was that for?” Alan exclaimed angrily while he wiped the drink off his face, while Annie quickly retreated back alongside Jeff.</p><p>“Alan, this is my girlfriend, Annie.” Jeff calmly said. “And that drink was for all the disgusting things you said about her. Now fuck off, I don’t want to see your face again.”</p><p>“You think you can just throw a drink in my face and get away with it?” Alan said angrily, scowling at Annie.</p><p>“You’re not doing anything.” Jeff said with a commanding tone, and stepped in front of Annie so he could look properly down at Alan.</p><p>“You know what? You can kiss that job offer goodbye, Winger.” Alan said, then backed away with his face red hot in anger.</p><p>After watching Alan storm away towards the door, Jeff turned back around to the bartender. “One appletini for the lady.” He ordered calmly.</p><p>“Promise you won’t throw it at anyone this time?” The bartender said, and looked over at Annie.</p><p>“He earned that from the things he said, and all he’s done in the past.” Jeff commented.</p><p>“Yeah I heard some of the stuff he said. Pretty disgusting. But still, don’t do it again, okay?” The bartender said.</p><p>“I won’t, I promise.” Annie told him.</p><p>“Okay. One appletini coming right up.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Annie got her drink, and the two strolled away, heading back to their table. By now, other people had sat down in the spots beside theirs, leaving them less room for privacy than earlier.<p>“Hello, I don’t believe we have met?” The man to Jeff’s left said once Jeff and Annie sat back down. </p><p>“I don’t believe we have, no. Jeff Winger.” Jeff said, and reached out his hand for a handshake.</p><p>“Stephen Patterson, nice to meet you.” The man said, and returned the handshake.</p><p>“Of Patterson and Young Law?” Jeff asked, sounding hopeful.</p><p>“Yes, that would be me. And this is my wife, Helen.” Stephen said, and gestured over to the woman to his left.</p><p>“Nice to meet you.” Jeff said, and gave her a nod instead of reaching his long arms past Stephen.</p><p>“Nice to meet you too, Jeff.” Helen returned.</p><p>“And what about the sweet girl to your side, who might she be?” Stephen asked Jeff.</p><p>“Annie Edison, I’m Jeff’s girlfriend.” Annie leaned over to say.</p><p>“Well aren’t you two just a lovely looking couple.” Helen commented. </p><p>“Thank you.” Jeff responded with a smile, while Annie’s cheeks reddened slightly as she put on a slight smile.</p><p>“Well Jeff, where do you work? I can’t say I’m familiar with your name.” Stephen asked.</p><p>“I teach law at Greendale.” Jeff answered vaguely.</p><p>“Oh, I didn’t know they invited teachers?” Stephen said.</p><p>“Professor.” Jeff clarified. “I used to be a lawyer, but I got disbarred six years ago. Had a fake college degree, so I was forced to retake it. Went back into it after that, tried to do things the right way after being the worst kind of lawyer you could find the first time around. Opened my own firm, but it didn’t last. Got an offer to teach at the same school I took my real degree at, and I’ve been a professor ever since.” He explained honestly.</p><p>“Oh, I recall rumors of someone getting disbarred for such a thing. I have to say though, I admire your honesty in telling me this. And I’m glad that you found something to keep the lights on, opening up your own firm can be expensive. Most fail, so don’t take it too badly.” Stephen said.</p><p>“If I may ask, where did you work before?” Helen interjected to ask.</p><p>“Hamish, Hamish and Hamlin.” Jeff replied.</p><p>“Ah, those guys.” Stephen said with some contempt, and Jeff could see it on Helen’s face too.</p><p>“Yeah. They aren’t great. Well, great if you’re really shady and want to get off the hook, but the culture there encourages you to use every dirty trick possible to win, no matter what. I realized that after getting debarred, that I hadn’t been doing the right thing. I looked out for myself, and that was it. I had offers to return there, and another to join my closest coworker from my time there at his firm, but I declined them to try on my own, doing things the right way. But as I said, that didn’t work out.” Jeff detailed, feeling like it was in his best interest to be honest.</p><p>“I met Jeff that first day he went to Greendale.” Annie said right after Jeff finished speaking. “He wasn’t the same guy then as he is now. He’s grown a lot as a person, and I couldn’t be prouder of him for it.”</p><p>“It’s not uncommon for new lawyers to think like that. They get too focused on the perks of being a lawyer, and forget the role they hold in setting a legal precedent for future cases. It’s good however that you realized that yourself. Some never do.” Stephen replied thoughtfully, leaving Jeff somewhat surprised.</p><p>“Better late than never, right?” Jeff said with a smile.</p><p>“Sure, as long as that doesn’t apply to when you show up work.” Stephen joked back.</p><p>“I try not to be <em>that</em> liberal with it.” Jeff returned with a knowing smile.</p><p>Stephen laughed a bit at that, and Jeff felt like they had a good tone together. “But if I may ask, do you have any ambitions to return to the industry? Or is teaching something you intend to continue with?” Stephen suddenly asked.</p><p>“I’ve settled into it, but part of the reason why I’m here, instead of ignoring the invite for the sixth year in a row is that I still want to be a lawyer if the right position shows up. I’m not going back to my old firm or anything like that, either it’ll be with a reputable firm with the right morals, or I’m perfectly content with continuing to teach.”  Jeff replied, offering Stephen a view into what he would be looking for.</p><p>Stephen looked like he was intrigued by the reply. “Hm. I like you Jeff. How about I give you a call in a few days, and then we can talk further? I think a motivated person with the experience and perspective you have could be a valuable resource to my firm.” </p><p>Jeff looked slightly shocked by the comment, while Annie sat beside him, smiling widely. “That sounds great!” Jeff managed to get out. </p><p>“Here, write down your number and I’ll call you. And here’s my card.” Stephen said, and handed over a business card and a small notepad with a pen.</p><p>Jeff accepted the card, and quickly typed down name and number on the pad in his most readable writing and handed it back to Stephen. </p><p>“Well Jeff, I think it’s time me and the wife go check out the bar, can’t talk business all night. Talk later.” Stephen said once he had pocketed the notepad and pen again.</p><p>“Talk later. Have a great night!” Jeff returned happily.</p><p>“Yes, have a great night, both of you.” Stephen said, and walked off, with Helen giving them a nod as she left with him.</p><p>Jeff turned back around, and finally let himself exhale properly. </p><p>“Jeff! This is great!” Annie said and squealed happily, catching the attention of some nearby.</p><p>“Well that was unexpected.” Jeff said surprisingly calmly, and allowed himself to smile just a little bit.</p><p>“Jeff, of course he liked you. He was a nice guy, and he could see that you are too.” Annie returned happily, and looked at him affectionately.</p><p>“I’ve done some bad stuff, Annie.” Jeff countered, feeling like that was a compliment he didn’t deserve.</p><p>Annie reached out to his hand, and gripped it gently in hers. Her hand was completely dwarfed by his, and she had no chance at holding the whole thing, but Annie holding him and gently rubbing her thumb over his felt oddly good, comforting. It felt right. Jeff returned her look, and looked into her eyes lovingly, happily. “All of us have made mistakes Jeff, but you’ve overcome yours. I truly believe that.” </p><p>Jeff smiled warmly at her, then leant over and gave her a chaste kiss. “What was that for?” Annie asked, while smiling warmly at him.</p><p>“Just wanted to.” Jeff said with a shrug and a content smile.</p><p>“I like you when you’re like this.” Annie returned.</p><p>“Like what?” Jeff asked, looking at her slightly confused.</p><p>“Relaxed, and happy. Not afraid to be affectionate. You’ve only been like that in your apartment before, but this is really nice. I’m glad I went.” Annie clarified.</p><p>“And I’m glad you came with. I feel better when you’re around.” Jeff returned earnestly.</p><p>“Awww! I love you Jeff.” Annie cooed.</p><p>“I love you too.” Jeff returned without any hesitation whatsoever.</p><p>They sat together chatting idly after that, both of them enjoying their drinks and each other’s company, while also idly chatting with the people sitting to their right, a lawyer specializing in corporate law for the nearby branch of a global company. Internally, Jeff felt relieved that he never got into that part of law, as he found it dreadfully boring. The woman seemed to agree with him that it wasn’t especially exciting, but it paid well for someone not too far removed from law school.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Eventually though, Jeff and Annie found themselves heading towards the desert table at Annie’s suggestion, after she noticed in the corner of her eye that they had put out more chocolate mousse. Jeff didn’t really want to, but as it turns out, Annie was pretty convincing when she wanted to be. With Annie practically dragging him across the crowded floor, a familiar face appeared in front of Jeff.<p>“Tango!” The voice exclaimed, and Jeff found himself slipping out of Annie’s grip.</p><p>The figure stepped closer, and left no room for doubt about who he was. “Mark, good to see you.” Jeff returned, only for the smaller man to jump into a hug, which Jeff reluctantly accepted.</p><p>“What brings you here, thought you weren’t doing law anymore?” Mark asked once he let go of Jeff.</p><p>Before Jeff could bring himself to reply, he heard Annie’s voice and footsteps heading towards him. “Jeff? Where’d you go?” She asked, confused as to why he suddenly slipped out of her grip as she headed towards the desserts. </p><p>Annie moved up besides Jeff and looked at him confused. “Annie, this is Mark, an old co-worker of mine.” Jeff told Annie, and gestured to Mark. “Mark, this is Annie, my girlfriend.” He added for Mark.</p><p>“Hi, nice to meet you.” Annie quickly said, and reached out to shake Mark’s hand. </p><p>“Nice to meet you too.” Mark returned politely, then looked at them both. “You two make a very nice couple.” </p><p>“Thank you!” Annie replied proudly, while Jeff only returned a tight-lipped smile.</p><p>“But you didn’t answer my question, what brings Jeff Winger back to an event like this, aren’t you teaching?” Mark asked, looking up Jeff with his eyes slightly narrowed.</p><p>With Annie looking up at him, Jeff responded to Mark. “I’m actually looking into getting back into it.”</p><p>“Then why didn’t you say so!?” Mark exclaimed in excitement, his arms shooting out to sides in uncontained happiness. “I can get you a job tomorrow. I know you ended up going back on it last time, but same offer. Partner, six figure salary, corner office. It’s yours if you want it.” </p><p>“Mark, I didn’t tell you because that’s not what I want to do.” Jeff said calmly, knowing he was disappointing his old friend yet again, and Annie gripped his hand.</p><p>“Then what do you want?” Mark asked, looking at Jeff puzzled.</p><p>“I don’t want to be the old Jeff Winger, the lawyer who puts the trash back on the street and annoys the DAs on a monthly basis. I’m not that guy anymore, and if I’m returning, that’s not the lawyer I intend to be. And I know that your firm deals with cases like that as a specialty, and I’m sure you’re doing very well, but I don’t want to be involved in that.” Jeff explained passionately, with Annie holding him tightly, smiling at him for saying that.</p><p>“Oh.” Mark said, and looked down with a dejected look on his face. “I’m open to changing the business a bit though, or expanding into different areas of law. Is there any specific area you’re interested in?”</p><p>“Not sure, but I was hoping to get into public law, family law, employment law, that kind of stuff. I’m not opposed to doing criminal law, it’s not that, but I don’t want to be the guy defending strippers, drunk drivers and thieves. I’d rather continue teaching than get into that again.” Jeff replied, elaborating on his thoughts.</p><p>“I can’t promise we can attract clients like that, but I’m definitely open to trying if you’re interested. What do you say? Same offer as earlier, but you get to specialize in those areas.” Mark said, and reached out his hand.</p><p>“Mark, I can’t give you a reply just like that.” Jeff replied, his hand still intertwined with Annie’s.</p><p>“Come on, it’s simple. Take the offer and we’ll get started on expanding into the areas you mentioned. What do you say?” Mark reiterated, and kept his arm stretched out.</p><p>“No, it’s not that simple. It’s never that simple. You know you can’t just flip the switch on what areas your company focuses on just like that, and you know that. And I can’t just take your offer here on the spot, despite how nice of you it is to offer it to me. I’m grateful, but I can’t accept it right here and now.” Jeff replied. He felt like it was cold, maybe needlessly so, but he couldn’t accept the job on the spot yet again, not when he wasn’t certain.</p><p>Mark seemed a little taken aback by that, and struggled to find the words. “Ehm, okay. I’m going to keep the offer on the table though, if you still want it.” He finally managed to get out.</p><p>“I appreciate that. It’s just a bit too much to decide here on the spot, especially when neither of us know the details just yet. I’ll think about it, and maybe you can work out what specifically you could change to take the company in the direction I suggested.” </p><p>“Yeah, I’ll do that. I’ll be in touch. Same number, right?” Mark asked.</p><p>“Yup.”</p><p>“Okay. I’ll call you once I know more then.” Mark said.</p><p>“Great, I appreciate it.” Jeff told him with an understanding smile.</p><p>“By the way, before I go: did you see Alan?” Mark suddenly asked.</p><p>“I did, why?” </p><p>“I saw him storming off out of the room, his face soaked and his suit absolutely ruined. Best thing I’ve seen at this event in <em>years</em>!” Mark explained passionately, barely containing his laughter behind the grin on his face.</p><p>“I may know something about that.” Jeff responded cryptically.</p><p>“I threw a drink in his face.” Annie added quickly.</p><p>“I <em>like</em> you!” Mark exclaimed to Annie with a grin on his face, and Annie smiled happily back. “You keep a hold on this one Jeff, any person who does that to Alan must be pretty great.” </p><p>“I will.” Jeff responded, and looked down at Annie with a loving smile. </p><p>“Talk soon then, see you!” Mark said, and walked off with a wave.</p><p>“See you.” Jeff returned.</p><p>“Okay now I want that dessert, I am <em>not</em> letting them run out again.” Annie said once Mark was gone, and tugged Jeff with her towards the table.</p><p>To Annie’s enjoyment, they weren’t out of desserts just yet, and they were able to grab one each, before heading to the bar to order some more drinks. They returned to their table, with scotch, vodka cranberry and mousse in hand. </p><p>“Okay, that was <em>really</em> good.” Annie commented once she had finished the mousse. Jeff simply looked at her slightly amused. “Don’t tell me you didn’t like it?” Annie asked upon seeing his expression.</p><p>“It was good. Just fun to see you so excited for some dessert.” Jeff replied.</p><p>“Never underestimate my appetite for dessert, Jeff.” Annie replied proudly.</p><p>“Duly noted.”</p><p>“Ehm, by the way. That Mark guy, what’s your relationship with him?” Annie asked.</p><p>“We used to work together before I got disbarred. He was the one I partnered up with the most. Nice guy, at least by the standards of the people I used to work with.” </p><p>“I thought you worked most with that creep, Alan?” Annie asked, not clear on all the details from his previous work life.</p><p>“From time to time, but I worked more with Mark, and we were a good team. He was the one who offered me a job right before I left Greendale, since he’s head of his own quite successful firm now.” </p><p>“And what do you think of his offer now?” </p><p>“It’s very nice of him, but I’m not sure. I think he assumed that I’d just be the person he used to work with, and that I’d agree if he stuck his hand out with a good offer. I did last time, and went back on it. I need to think about it, and see what other options I have. And he needs to figure out if he’s okay hiring me despite what I told him.” Jeff explained to her, letting Annie getting some insight into his thinking.</p><p>“That’s fair.” Annie commented. “I’m glad, by the way.” She added a few seconds later.</p><p>“Glad about what?” Jeff asked, confused by her statement.</p><p>“Glad that you’re taking your time, and being honest with me and everybody else. It’s better like this. Either they let you come as you are, or they won’t. That way you won’t end up somewhere that you don’t fit, because you didn’t tell them the truth.” Annie elaborated.</p><p>“Thank you for that.” Jeff said.</p><p>Annie looked at him slightly confused. “Why are you thanking me?”</p><p>“Thank you for helping me be better. For helping me <em>want</em> to be better. You inspire me every day Annie. You don’t have to say anything, but the way you handle yourself and expect more of yourself and everybody else has helped me more than you know. And being with you, it motivates me more than you’ll ever know. I know I can’t just be the old Jeff; I need to be better.” Jeff said with a strong conviction to his voice.</p><p>Annie looked slightly lost for words for a few seconds. “Jeff….you don’t need to be better for me, you’re already good enough. I’m not with you because of some dream of changing you.” She said, not sure how to take his words.</p><p>“I know that, but I want to be better for you. I want to be someone you can be proud of, and someone that you can rely on. And I’m finding that easier than I thought it would be, because you make every little thing I once saw as too much effort seem like the right thing to do. And seeing that smile on your face, from getting a nice little desert, having dinner cooked for you, or from finally mastering those damned shoulder presses, that makes my day so much brighter and better. I once told you that I’d break a light sweat for you. I lied. I’d drench myself in sweat if it meant that I could make your day better, because seeing you happy makes me happy. And I’m so happy that you’re staying, you have no idea how much of a relief that is to me.” Jeff explained to her, elaborating on just how far he was willing to go to make their relationship work. </p><p>Annie was completely lost for words, with a tear starting to form in the corner of her eye, before slowly trailing down her cheek. Instinctively, Jeff reached out to wipe it away. He was about to pull his hand away again, when Annie’s hand gripped his wrist, forcing it to stay. Jeff got slightly surprised, but adapted quickly, and cupped her cheek endearingly, looking at her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered. Instinctively, he leaned forwards and gave her a kiss. It was soft, caring and loving, encapsulating all of feelings Annie brought out of him, the sides of him that he had once hidden away in a drawer deep within himself. Yet Annie brought all of that out, and more.</p><p>Afterwards, they looked at each other, both smiling contently at each other. “Dance with me?” Annie suddenly asked, gesturing over to the other couples slowly dancing to the music.</p><p>“Sure.” Jeff returned, and stood up. They walked over to the dancefloor, and settled in amongst the handful of other couples out there. Jeff wasn’t a dancer, not even close, but he knew that Annie was capable. However, they instead settled into a comfortable, slow rhythm together, holding each other close as they danced in unison, surprisingly in rhythm considering it was their first time. Jeff barely recognized the song playing as <em>Tenerife Sea</em> by Ed Sheeran, but the music quickly faded from his consciousness as he kept his eyes trained on Annie, her lovely blue eyes looking at him with a look that could make him melt on the spot. He was completely lost at the sight of her, holding onto him as they swayed from side to side. Before long, the rest of the room faded from view, and there was only Annie left, beautiful Annie, that royal blue dress that continued to make his jaw drop, looking at him like he was the only thing in the world that mattered. He knew, more than ever before, that she certainly was to him.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Annie and Jeff prepare to tell the group about their relationship, but gets sidetracked.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ugh, what time is it?” Annie said, her voice hoarse and showing clear signs of having just woken up. Her eyes fluttered a bit, trying to rapidly wake up, and Jeff could see her trying to focus on him as she turned over to face him.</p><p>“It’s around 11:30.” Jeff said, having woken up a few minutes earlier. “Good morning beautiful.”</p><p>“Eleven thirty!? Shit, I need to get up!” Annie exclaimed and shot her upper body up into a sitting position, scrambling to get up.</p><p>Jeff reached out his hand to her to settle her down again. “Woah there. What’s the hurry?” He queried. </p><p>“I need to go to the apothecary, need to send out a text to everyone to see if we can get them all on video chat later, I need to look for a car, figure out when is the best time to drive when I start at work in the morning, look at how I can combine work and taking the extra credits I need, buy the books I need for that, and I need to buy stain remover for the dress…” Annie said in a panicked ramble, her breath starting to increase rapidly.</p><p>“Annie, look at me.” Jeff said, causing Annie to turn around and look at him. She looked stressed, beyond stressed. Waking up this late was clearly not part of her plan, and had unsettled her. Jeff reached out for her hand, and gripped it gently. “I’ll go make us breakfast, and you can get dressed and ready and send out a text to the rest. Then I’ll drive you to the apothecary and book store. I have stain remover here, so don’t worry about that. Then we can return here and look at how to work around your new schedule, and find a car for you. We’ll figure it out, okay? Plenty of hours left in the day, and you don’t need all the answers by tomorrow.” </p><p>“Jeff, I have so much I need to do, and I didn’t have time to plan it yesterday, so I want it planned today. And I can’t ask you to drive me everywhere.” Annie replied, still slightly stressed.</p><p>“I’m taking you anyway. It’s a Saturday, I have nothing to do, and I have a car. A much more comfortable one than Britta’s too. Let me help make your day a little easier, okay?” Jeff offered, rubbing his thumb lightly over Annie’s hand, hoping to ease her down again. He didn’t like seeing her stressed like this, and though he knew about this side of Annie, the one that could panic if things didn’t go like she planned, all he wanted to do was to calm her down again. </p><p>Annie remained silent for a few seconds, her eyes dropping down a bit. After a bit, she looked up, and gave him a slight nod. “Okay.” She replied. She looked hesitant, but he’d take it. </p><p>“Okay, I’ll go make some breakfast then.” Jeff said, and let go of her hand. He stepped out of bed and walked over to the wardrobe, and pulled out some clothes for the day before putting them on. As he was about to step out of the bedroom, with Annie still sitting in the bed, he turned around again. “By the way, it’s about half an hour to and hour to get to Denver, depending on the traffic. If you drive there an hour before work, you’ll get there either early or on time.”</p><p>“How do you know that?” Annie asked, looking at him with a puzzled expression.</p><p>“Used to work there. Besides, mom lives there.” Jeff said with a slight shrug, then left to go to the kitchen.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>While Jeff was cooking, Annie decided to open a group chat with every single person she considered part of the group in any way shape or form.<p><em>Hi guys, I was wondering if we could all meet up on video chat later tonight?</em><br/>
-Group Organizer [Annie Edison] 11:41 AM</p><p>Quickly, messages started to tick in.</p><p><em>I’m available.</em><br/>
-Fixer Lady [Francesca Dart] 11:41 AM</p><p><em>I have a work until 5, but I am free afterwards.</em><br/>
-Movie Director [Abed Nadir] 11:42 AM</p><p><em>Great! Sometime after 5 then. Let’s hope the rest reply quickly so we can set a time :)</em><br/>
-Group Organizer [Annie Edison] 11:42 AM</p><p><em>What is this about? Did you finally get the Denver job you wanted? Are you attempting a soft reboot for Season 7 without me?</em><br/>
-Movie Director [Abed Nadir] 11:43 AM</p><p><em>I’ll tell you later Abed. Be patient.</em><br/>
-Group Organizer [Annie Edison] 11:43 AM</p><p><em>You want to see our faces when you deliver the news. This must be big. Hopefully it isn’t a plot twist for the sake of doing a plot twist. I hate those.</em><br/>
-Movie Director [Abed Nadir] 11:43 AM</p><p><em>Heeeey! Sorry for the late reply! I finish work at 6, I will try this video chat thing after that!!</em><br/>
-Aw, that’s a Detective [Shirley Bennett] 11:44 AM</p><p><em>I couldn’t possibly dean-y myself the chance to see my favorite ex-students again! I will cancel the faculty meeting for later so Jeff can’t skip out on it!</em><br/>
-Regression Towards the Dean [Craig Pelton] 11:46 AM</p><p><em>Wait a minute, who changed my nickname????</em><br/>
-Regression Towards the Dean [Craig Pelton] 11:46 AM</p><p><em>LOL. Probably Jeff</em><br/>
-Resident Slob [Britta Perry] 11:47 AM</p><p><em>There we go, much better.</em><br/>
Yaaaaaas Dean [Craig Pelton] 11:47 AM</p><p><em>Dean, you don’t have to do that.</em><br/>
-Group Organizer [Annie Edison] 11:48 AM</p><p><em>Too late, already did. Oops. And you can call me Craig, you know.</em><br/>
-Yaaaaaas Dean [Craig Pelton] 11:48 AM</p><p><em>Force of habit, sorry. What about you @Resident_Slob, are you available?</em><br/>
-Group Organizer [Annie Edison] 11:49 AM</p><p><em>Yup</em><br/>
-Resident Slob [Britta Perry] 11:50 AM</p><p><em>Okay, then we just lack responses from Duncan and Chang</em><br/>
-Group Organizer [Annie Edison] 11:50 AM</p><p><em>Couldn’t you just have asked Britta in person? And what about Jeff? And are Elroy and Hickey available? I know they’re not in this chat.</em><br/>
-Movie Director [Abed Nadir] 11:51 AM</p><p>Annie froze up for a second. She’d need to get Jeff to respond, to it to not appear suspicious, and make Britta not reveal everything. She quickly brought up her private chat with Britta to tell her<br/>
.<br/>
<em>Do NOT reveal anything.</em><br/>
-Annie Edison, 11:52 AM</p><p><em>I gotchu </em><br/>
-Britta, 11:52 AM</p><p>Annie let out a sigh of relief, but then saw a message pop up in the group chat. </p><p><em>I’ll call Jeff. </em><br/>
-Movie Director [Abed Nadir] 11:52 AM</p><p>Annie was about to type out a reply to tell him that wasn’t needed, when he heard Jeff’s phone vibrate on the nightstand on his side of the bed. “Shit.” She exclaimed, then cleared her throat. “Jeeeeeff?” She asked loudly, hoping he would hear it. After a few second with no response, she got up, picked up the phone, and walked to the kitchen, where Jeff was making egg and bacon for the two of them.</p><p>“Jeff? Abed is calling, he’s worried since you didn’t respond to the group chat message I sent out. Don’t tell him I’m here, okay?” Annie said as she walked up alongside Jeff and handed him the phone.</p><p>“Oh, okay. Can you watch the eggs?” He replied, and took the vibrating phone in his hand. </p><p>“Sure.” Annie said, and took the spatula from his other hand before Jeff walked off to the bedroom. </p><p>Jeff returned a few minutes later, and found that Annie had put it all on plates and taken it to the dining room for them. </p><p>“What did he say?” Annie asked once he sat down across from her.</p><p>“He asked if I was available for a video chat sometime after 6. I said told him that I left the phone in the bedroom and didn’t hear it because I was making breakfast. He tried to talk some more, but I cut him off to say that I was going to eat before the food got cold, and that I’d see him later. And that was about it really.” Jeff explained, leaving out no details.</p><p>“Oh, okay. I think he got suspicious because of something I said in the chat.” </p><p>“It’ll be fine. We won’t need to keep it a secret for too much longer now.” Jeff said calmly.</p><p>“What are you feeling?” Annie asked.</p><p>“About telling them?” Jeff asked to be certain.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Nervous. I hope it’ll just be all <em>‘congratulations guys!’</em> and nothing negative.” Jeff said shortly.</p><p>“<em>Promise me</em> that whatever they say, you won’t freak out, okay? Please?” Annie asked him, hoping so badly that he wouldn’t take it too badly. For once, she needed him to not care what others though, to revert to his old façade of nonchalance towards other people’s opinions about what he did.</p><p>“I promise. You’re not getting rid of me now Annie. Now that you’ve given me a taste of what life with you can be like, I <em>really</em> don’t want to go back to anything else.” Jeff told her earnestly, seeing the worry in her expression. </p><p>“Okay, good. Because there’s no way I would let you.” Annie told him adamantly.</p><p>“Getting possessive now, are we?” Jeff joked, flashing a sly grin at her.</p><p>“Jeff!” Annie said with a frustrated groan.</p><p>“I’m kidding. I love my life right now Annie. I love my life with you around, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Whatever the rest might think, let them think it. It’d be nice if they were at least open to it, but if they aren’t, well then that’s their problem. And that might sound selfish of me, but I just want to be happy. I want us to be happy. And right now, I am, and it seems like you are too. And that should be the most important thing.” Jeff explained, reiterating his feelings to her. </p><p>“Aw. I’m happy too, Jeff. And I agree, I want nothing more than for us to continue being happy. And I love you too.” Annie said, and smiled lovingly at him.</p><p>“I think we should eat though, before the food actually goes cold.” Jeff said, and nodded down to their untouched food.</p><p>“Oh, right. Yes.” Annie exclaimed, then let out a little laugh. They’d gotten so lost in their conversation that the food in front of them had drifted out of their minds.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“Why did you need to stop by the apothecary anyway?” Jeff suddenly asked Annie as they drove away from it, heading towards a local bookstore that Annie had diligently checked that had the books she needed.<p>“It needed to because, <em>you know</em>, last night.” Annie said, her face blushing instantly from the thought.</p><p>“Right. Good thinking.” Jeff said, realizing that he hadn’t really thought about that himself. </p><p>“I bought a few extra too, just in case.” Annie added.</p><p>“I’ll make sure to bring some protection next time in case you get that urge again.” Jeff said, and laughed a bit.</p><p>Annie gasped. “<em>I</em> get the urge? You were just as into it as I was!” She argued, raising her voice.</p><p>“You started it!” Jeff argued in return.</p><p>“Oh come on, I saw how you looked at me all night. You wanted that.” Annie retorted with a smug grin, while arching her back and thrusting out her chest confidently.</p><p>“Uh, <em>yeah</em>, when you wear a dress that actively teases me all night, at some point I’ll lose impulse control. I’m a guy, Annie, and I happen to be extremely attracted to you. And in a sea of stuck up people that discarded me as soon as I wasn’t useful to them anymore, looking at you is the preferred option every single time.” </p><p>“Aw. That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.” Annie said sarcastically, and rolled her eyes at him.</p><p>“Look, it doesn’t matter who did what first. You had a good time, right?” Jeff asked, trying to tease the tension a bit.</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Well so did I. And in case we decide to sneak away from things again, I’ll come prepared, because I <em>really</em> want to do that again.” Jeff explained with a grin on his face as he continued to focus on the road while he spoke.</p><p>“Sounds like a plan then.” Annie said. “And for the record, I liked that you were looking at me.” She added with a smile, then turned away from him. Jeff simply shook his head and smiled while keeping his eyes on the road. She really was unbelievable sometimes.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Several hours later, the duo had managed to buy books, stop by a few used car dealerships without success, and returned back to Jeff’s apartment so Annie could do the rest on her laptop. Jeff had successfully managed to get the stain out from Annie’s dress while she worked out how to schedule work and studying, and he took great care in making sure that he didn’t damage it. He ran his fingers gently through the soft fabric of the dress, while he looked at the royal blue color that had accentuated her eyes so much. It was the dress of their first night out together as a couple, and it would forever hold a dear place in his heart for that reason.<p>“How’s it looking?” Jeff asked as he walked back into the living room, seeing Annie sitting on the couch with her legs outstretched and his softest, gray blanket spread out over her legs, and her laptop resting on her lap as she typed away. </p><p>“Good. I think I might have an idea about what cars I can get within my budget, and I mapped out the work hours they sent me along with the hours of the online classes they want me to attend. See?” Annie replied, and Jeff walked up behind her and crouched down so he could see the plans she had made.</p><p>“Wow, you have <em>that</em> many plans?” Jeff said in a mixture of slight shock and amazement. In front of him, he could see that Annie had made plans for the weeks after she would begin working, which was a week away. She had one primary plan, with alternate color-coded plans in case of changes or unforeseen events.</p><p>“Yeah, I like to have things planned out Jeff, in case you haven’t noticed.” Annie replied somewhat sourly, sensing that Jeff didn’t necessarily approve.</p><p>“Are you sure you can keep such a tight plan though? What if something happens that you didn’t anticipate?” Jeff queried, looking at her with narrowed eyes, skeptical about how realistic her plans truly were.</p><p>“Then I have alternate plans. I can adapt, Jeff.” </p><p>“Are you sure you aren’t taking on a bit much though? Wouldn’t it be easier on you if you eased the load per day so you could have some more flexibility?” He suggested.</p><p>“What would you have me change then?” Annie asked, curious to hear his suggestions.</p><p>Jeff stood up and sat down on the couch so he could face her directly. “Well, I think that having half an hour of ‘me time’ per day is a bit thin. I see that you have breaks in your studying, but three hours of studying after eight-hour work days? Annie, I don’t see how you can keep that up.” Jeff suggested to her, hoping he could sway her slightly. Part of the reason was selfish; he knew that much. He didn’t see how he would ever fit into such a tight schedule built around work and two classes on the side. </p><p>“Jeff, I need to study. They want me to take those classes so I can be fully qualified by the turn of the year.” Annie returned with a groan of frustration.</p><p>“I get that, but they don’t expect you to get through both classes by the end of the month. Cut out or cut down on the studying on the days that you work, that way you won’t burn yourself out.” He said, with genuine worry for her. She was good at working for extended periods of time, but he didn’t want her to work herself to death.</p><p>“I can handle it perfectly well, Jeff. I’ve always studied for long.” Annie countered, rolling her eyes a bit at him.</p><p>“Not with a job like this on the side, plus travel.” Jeff argued as a counter.</p><p>“I can handle that just fine.” </p><p>Jeff closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He could feel himself getting annoyed at her stubbornness, but he really didn’t want to lash out at her. She didn’t deserve that, even if she was driving him crazy. “I know you can, but you shouldn’t force yourself to do it just because you can. It’s okay to take breaks, to relax a little. Study on the days that you aren’t working, and allow yourself to recharge a bit instead of having never-ending days of work and study. Especially when you’ve structured it so tightly that even the slightest change could derail everything.” </p><p>“That’s why I have backup-plans, Jeff.”</p><p>“Backup plans that involve making the next day even longer to catch up. How often have you even been able to follow these plans to the point in the past?” He asked her directly. </p><p>“I was able to just fine in D.C.” Annie replied shortly, her eyes narrowed at him.</p><p>“And what about here in Greendale before you left?” </p><p>“Sometimes. Other times I had to throw the plans out and rework them because stuff just kept happening.” Annie replied, and cocked her head slightly to the side. He could feel her eyes on him, studying him with narrowed, skeptical eyes.</p><p>“And that’s what I think will happen here too. When you only have work, or only have school, things can go exactly according to plan. But life generally isn’t like that. Remember what you told me before you left? Too many variables. It’s not realistic to plan your life in this amount of detail, with this much work and school fit into each day.” Jeff said, a released a frustrated sigh.</p><p>“Can’t you at least show a little faith in me? Or is that too much to ask?” Annie suddenly replied, her words stinging deep within him.</p><p>Jeff simply sat there in silence for a few seconds, with only the sound of their breaths and the pc fan interrupting the silent, icy tension in the room. “This isn’t about me not having faith in you. I do. I just don’t think those plans will work. This won’t work.” He finally said, his voice low and defeated.</p><p>“Jeff, can you just let this go? I like my plans, and I like living by a plan. It’s none of your business if I do.” Annie replied instantly defensively. </p><p>“It <em>is</em> my business, Annie.” Jeff replied bluntly, then stood up and walked into his room, slamming the door shut behind him. He was starting to lose his temper with her by now, and just needed to get away. How couldn’t she see that she had left no time for the two of them in her plans? He didn’t want to bring it up to not be appear selfish, but it hurt. </p><p>Annie sat there and watched his bedroom door, with her mouth slightly agape. With tears starting to form in her eyes, she stood up and threw the blanket off her. She packed her laptop and a few other belongings into the bag she had by the entrance, and walked out the door in a hurry.</p><p>Jeff heard the door click shut and get locked. She had left. Knowing he had to alert the group about the change of plans, he brought up the group chat and found a few more messages.</p><p><em>This better be good. I’ll be there, but I can’t promise I won’t have a pint or two</em><br/>
-Professor Drunkan [Ian Duncan] 2:06 PM</p><p><em>I don’t think anyone is surprised.</em><br/>
-Movie Director [Abed Nadir] 2:07 PM</p><p><em>Oh shut it you big nerd</em><br/>
-Professor Drunkan [Ian Duncan] 2:07 PM</p><p><em>Very mature, Duncan..</em><br/>
-Resident Slob [Britta Perry] 2:08 PM</p><p><em>Oh, I didn’t mean it like that Britta. Apologies Abed. </em><br/>
-Professor Drunkan [Ian Duncan] 2:08 PM</p><p><em>What is this about????</em><br/>
-Subject to Chang [Ben Chang] 3:37 PM</p><p><em>Annie called a group meeting sometime after 6 PM tonight. </em><br/>
-Fixer Lady [Francesca Dart] 3:40 PM</p><p><em>Cool! I’ll be there. Please tell me if she changs the time</em><br/>
-Subject to Chang [Ben Chang] 3:41 PM</p><p><em>Your puns are even worse in text. </em><br/>
-Movie Director [Abed Nadir] 3:41 PM</p><p>Once he had scrolled through what he had missed, Jeff typed out a message.</p><p><em>Hey, I just spoke with Annie. Something has come up, so she can’t do it tonight. Sorry for the inconvenience. </em><br/>
-Jacked Professor [Jeff Winger] 5:41 PM</p><p>Jeff could see a few people were typing out responses already, but decided not to bother checking them. He threw the phone onto the bed, and walked back into the living room. It was quiet, eerily quiet. Earlier in the day he had the sound of Annie’s finger on the keyboard, the small contented noises she’d make whenever she completed a small task, the grateful smile she’d give him when he brought her something to drink and eat while she worked. Now there was only silence. He noted that Annie’s things were gone from the living room table, then grabbed his keys and jacket. He had to get out of there before he lost it.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>Annie got back to her apartment a while later, and unlocked the door in a hurry. She heard Britta saying something, but couldn’t bring herself to respond as she hurried right into her room, slamming the door behind her. Once inside, she finally let out everything she had kept inside of her. The confusion, the anger, and sadness all came out, as she finally let the tears, she had been holding back slowly trail down her cheeks. Her sobs were soon interrupted by a knock on the door.<p>“What?” Annie asked with a choked-up voice.</p><p>“Annie, are you okay?” Britta asked carefully from the other side of the door.</p><p>“I’m fine.” Annie responded, and sniffled a bit to try to make her voice sound like she hadn’t just been crying. </p><p>“I can hear that you aren’t. Can I come in?” Britta asked gently. When Annie didn’t respond, she opened up the door slowly, and stepped inside. There she found Annie, her eyes puffy and red, glistening with tears. “Annie, what happened? I saw Jeff’s message in the group chat, and now you’re here, crying.”</p><p>“We had a fight.” Annie said, and sniffled again. </p><p>“If it’s okay of me to ask, what did you fight about?” Britta asked, and sat down beside her on the bed. </p><p>“He asked me about my week planner, and I showed it to him. He started poking holes in everything, saying how he didn’t think my plans were realistic, that I was taking on too much work. I felt like he was doubting me, so I got annoyed. Then he got mad and stormed off. And then I left.” Annie explained, her voice broken and low, with frequent pauses to collect herself.</p><p>“What exactly did he say wasn’t realistic?” Britta asked.</p><p>“He said I had been too specific about how long I would spend on things, and that I had too much time scheduled for work and studying.” Annie clarified.</p><p>“Can I see it?” </p><p>“Uh, sure.” Annie said, and stood up to walk over to her bag. She unzipped it and brought out her laptop, unlocked it and sat down beside Britta again. “Here.”</p><p>Britta looked over her plans carefully, her eyes narrowed as she tried to make sense out of the color-coded system. “Annie…this is crazy. You can’t be serious about doing this.” She finally exclaimed, her eyes showing the shock from what she had seen.</p><p>“What?” Annie asked, her teary eyes blinking to try to clear the drops away, trying her best to appear composed when her body wasn’t willing to let her.</p><p>“This is too much, Annie, even for you.” Britta clarified; a bit gentler this time.</p><p>“Oh…” Annie merely said, struggling to find the right words.</p><p>“Did Jeff say what he wanted you to do instead?” </p><p>“No, it just seemed like he wanted me to have more time off. We didn’t get into details, he….he just said that he didn’t think it would work, and then he disappeared.” Annie explained as tears started to form in her eyes again. “Damn it.” She said with another sniffle, and furiously wiped her rapidly reddening eyes again.</p><p>“I think I might know why he reacted like he did.” Britta said calmly.</p><p>Annie looked at her with a confused expression. “And why’s that?” She asked carefully.</p><p>“Annie, those plans, they’re all work and school. Where does he fit into this?” Britta questioned her calmly.</p><p>“I…I have some time off each day?” Annie responded hesitantly</p><p>“You have what, half an hour? Which is gone if even the slightest little ting happens. That’s not enough time for a relationship, Annie. You guys have practically <em>lived</em> together for the past month, you’re barely here, and now you’re supposed to give him half an hour a day at most? That won’t work.” Britta countered, her face appearing strained.</p><p>“Yeah but if he felt that way, why wouldn’t he just tell me?” Annie asked as disconcerted frown formed on her face.</p><p>“He’s probably hurt. He’s put a lot of effort into this, more than I’ve seen him do for anything else. He’s doing everything he can to make it work, so seeing next to no time for him in your schedule must suck. As for why he didn’t say it, he’s not the best at telling people what he feels, you know that. My guess is that it’s his fear of holding you back that made him avoid saying it, he doesn’t want to appear selfish and say that you should spend time with him instead of studying.” Britta said analytically.</p><p>Annie remained silent, her eyes initially studying Britta before her head dropped a little. She had screwed up and hurt him, without even realizing why. She’d made no time for him when all he had done lately was accommodate her, and build his life completely around having her around. Finally, she composed herself enough to reply. “That…makes a lot of sense. Thank you Britta, for saying that.” She said, her voice low and defeated.</p><p>“Psh, it was nothing.” Britta said with a wave of her hand. “I’m just happy I could help.”</p><p>“When did you get so good at this?” Annie asked, as she finally tilted her head back up to look at Britta’s smug face. She had her moments, but projecting herself like she was the smartest person in the world anytime she managed to therapize someone probably wasn’t the best thing ever. Annie made a note to tell her the next time she’d help Britta study.</p><p>“I’m a therapist, Annie, it’s what I do.” Britta said confidently.</p><p>“You’re not a-“ Annie began saying.</p><p>“Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say that after I just helped you.” Britta said with a glare.</p><p>That got a smile out of Annie, as she rolled her eyes at Britta’s reaction. “I won’t.”</p><p>Britta gave her a slight smile, then remained silent for a few seconds. “If you don’t mind me asking, what are you going to do?”</p><p>“I guess I’ll need to go there tomorrow and apologize.” Annie said, her fingers fidgeting with the fold of her hoodie as her head dropped slightly again.</p><p>“Why wait?” Britta asked, her head tilted slightly.</p><p>“I don’t even know what to say, Britta. I need to figure something out.” Annie replied, seeming hesitant.</p><p>“Nonsense. Go over there and tell him you're sorry. If you mean it, he’ll know it. It doesn’t matter exactly what you say, you don’t need some big plan. He loves you Annie, he’ll forgive you.” Britta said, like Annie’s suggestion was the stupidest thing she’d ever heard. “Come, I’ll drive you.” Britta said, and stood up.</p><p>Annie gasped. “Now?” </p><p>“Yes, now. Come on.” Britta said, and waved for her to move.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>When they arrived at Jeff’s apartment, Annie immediately noticed that his car was gone.<p>“Britta, he’s not here. His car is gone.” Annie said as Britta stopped the car along the sidewalk of the road connected to the apartment complex.</p><p>“He’ll be back soon. You have the key, don’t you?” </p><p>“Yeah?” Annie replied, tilting her head slightly.</p><p>“Then go there and wait. He’ll be back eventually, and then you can talk. He’ll be grateful that you waited for him.” Britta said, adding to her ever-growing list of good advice given in one night.</p><p>“Okay, I will. Thanks Britta.” Annie said, and hugged her.</p><p>“You’re welcome Annie.” Britta replied as she returned the hug.</p><p>“I’ll be back later or tomorrow, we’ll see.” Annie said as she let go of Britta.</p><p>“Okay. Call me if you need a ride, I’ll be up anyway.” Britta offered.</p><p>“Okay, thanks again. See you.” Annie said, and stepped out of the car.</p><p>“See you.” Britta returned, before Annie closed the door and walked off toward the complex.</p><p>With the sound of the broken exhaust pipe of Britta’s car behind her, Annie walked up to the main entrance and unlocked it for herself. She took the elevator up, and walked the short distance to Jeff’s door, unlocking it and stepping inside, before she locked it again. Unsurprisingly, Jeff wasn’t anywhere to be found. She was pleasantly surprised however to find that the place looked exactly like when she left. He hadn’t made a mess, or brought out anything to drink. He had simply just left. Wanting to know if he was okay, she decided to call him. Instead, she heard the sound of his phone calling in his bedroom. Resigned to the fact that she wouldn’t know anything before he returned, she sat down on the couch to wait for him to arrive.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>It was nearly midnight when Jeff finally got back to the apartment. He had been away for hours, but he knew he had to return eventually. He walked inside of the complex with a feeling of unease. This was the day they were going to tell everyone in the group that they were dating, yet instead they had ended up in a fight, and now he didn’t know where they stood. He felt bad. He didn’t want to fight with her, yet he felt like this time, it truly wasn’t his fault. Part of him wanted to drive over to her place and apologize, yet it wouldn’t be genuine. He didn’t feel bad about what he had said, he meant every word of it. As much as he wanted to fix things again, he had to be honest with her too.<p>With far too many thoughts running through his mind, he unlocked the door and stepped into the darkened room. He shrugged off his jacket and removed his shoes, then headed toward the kitchen when he noticed something in the corner of his eye. He turned around, and there she was, lying on the couch under the soft grey blanket she had taken a liking to. He felt a slight smile forming on his face. She had waited for him, then fallen asleep.</p><p>Jeff walked over to her sleeping form, and crouched down, then gently spoke. “Annie?” </p><p>“Hm?” Annie responded with a sleepy groan; her eyes still shut.</p><p>“Annie, it’s me, Jeff.” Jeff said softly.</p><p>That seemed to wake Annie up slightly, as she slowly opened her eyes, blinking a bit to regain focus. “What time is it?” She asked with a sleepy voice.</p><p>“It’s close to midnight.” </p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“Did you wait here for me?” Jeff asked, though he knew the answer.</p><p>“Yeah, I did.” Annie replied sleepily, then slowly sat up with her legs still on the couch, and rubbed her eyes.</p><p>“Sorry I was away for so long, I just…. needed to collect my thoughts somewhere else.” Jeff said, feeling about her waiting so long for him to return.</p><p>“Don’t apologize. Jeff, I…I’m sorry.” Annie began saying, then reached out for his hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t leave time for us in my plans. That was inconsiderate of me, I just got too focused on how I could get through all of the classes fast, without thinking that I have more than just myself to take into account now.” </p><p>“It’s okay Annie, I understand, you have to focus on your career.” Jeff said, and squeezed her hands softly in return. </p><p>“No Jeff, it’s not okay. It was selfish of me. We’re a team now, and that means that you have to be a priority too. I can’t expect you prioritize me if I can’t do the same to you. So, I promise that I’ll make time for you. You mean everything to me, and I don’t want you to be sidelined.” Annie said, her deep blue eyes gazing into his, as if begging for his forgiveness.</p><p>“Annie, I forgive you. And I want that. I want to be part of a team with you.” Jeff said, and smiled broadly at her. He couldn’t stay mad at her, not when she was making this effort to apologize to him.</p><p>Annie smiled happily in return, and let go of his hands. Gently, she cupped his face in her small hands and leaned forwards to give him a soft, loving kiss. Jeff melted right into it, letting go of all the frustration he had from earlier into the day as got lost in the taste of her soft lips.</p><p>“What will you do with your plans then? How will the new ones look like?” Jeff noted after they let go of each other.</p><p>“We’ll make it work.” Annie said with a warm smile. And Jeff confidently knew now that somehow, they <em>would</em> make it work.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff and Annie finally tells their friends about their relationship.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next afternoon, Jeff and Annie had managed to scrape together a new group chat, after Annie vaguely apologized to the group for the sudden cancelation the day before. People had been confused, but accepted the vague explanation for why she had to cancel. While they waited for the time to arrive, Annie had been back home to pick up her laptop, before they headed to the gym together.</p><p>“So, what’s the plan today?” Annie asked him once he finally got out of the gym changing room.</p><p>“I thought you were the one making plans?” Jeff returned with a mischievous grin on his face.</p><p>“Jeff, we specifically agreed that you plan what we do here since you know more than me.” Annie returned with a glare.</p><p>“Annie Edison, are you admitting that I know more than you?” Jeff continued teasing, failing completely to hide his shit-eating grin.</p><p>“I only said you know more than me about exercising.” Annie said with a huff of frustration, and crossed her arms across her chest and looked away from him in slight annoyance.</p><p>Jeff simply laughed at her reaction, always happy to tease her a little bit. “I was going to do chest today, need to keep up the work so you have something to look at.” He added for good measure.</p><p>“Jeeeeeff!” Annie said with some frustration from his teasing, and hit his chest to show her lack of amusement with him.</p><p>“I’ve seen the way you look at me when I undress, Annie.” Jeff continued confidently, loving how adorable she was when he got her flustered.</p><p>“Yes Jeff, I like looking at you. And I could make you stare at me too if I wanted, so at best you’re even with me.” Annie returned defiantly. </p><p>“Touché. Anyway, chest day. You up for it?” Jeff responded, his tone less teasing this time around.</p><p>“Sure, after you mister.” Annie responded, and gesticulated for him to go first.</p><p>Jeff did as she told, but couldn’t resist teasing her a bit more. “You just don’t want me to check you out, do you?”</p><p>“Maybe. Or maybe I wanted to do the same to you.” Annie retorted cheerfully from behind him.</p><p>“Mhm. Careful Annie, I might not be able to resist if we keep this up.” Jeff warned.</p><p>“Seriously guys? Get a room.” A slightly disgusted looking woman suddenly exclaimed from the side, having seemingly overheard their conversation.</p><p>Jeff and Annie looked at each other sheepishly, and continued walking further into the gym.</p><p>“Right, we’re here.” Jeff said, as he stopped by a bench press.</p><p>“We’re doing <em>that</em>?” Annie asked nervously, and ran her hand through her hair.</p><p>“Yeah. It’s really effective, and it’s a natural motion for the body.” Jeff told her without really focusing on her, then sat down on the bench, ready to begin his warm-up set. That’s when he noticed Annie’s expression. “Annie, are you okay?” He asked.</p><p>“Y-y-y-eah.” Annie said unconvincingly, and swallowed hard.</p><p>Jeff looked up into her eyes, and studied her expression. She was looking away, and was very openly nervous despite saying otherwise. “Annie, you’re clearly not okay. Talk to me, okay?” He said, and reached out to her hands yet again. He had found that she enjoyed being held like this, with him rubbing comforting circles on her hand, and he hoped he could ease her down again.</p><p>Annie looked down at him, her eyes showing sadness and vulnerability. “One time I was here alone, I, I uh, I tried bench pressing. And I screwed it up, I couldn’t get the bar up and I got stuck. I managed to get it off me, but I’m just afraid. Afraid that if I do it again, I’ll get it stuck on my throat or something like that.” She explained hesitantly.</p><p>“Annie, it’s okay. Most people have done that at some point. I have done it. But once you get used to the exercise, you’ll be able to tell when you don’t have more in you. Besides, I’m here. I’ll spot you.” Jeff said reassuringly, trying his best to make her comfortable.</p><p>“You’ll spot me?” Annie asked, her brows furrowed.</p><p>“I’ll stand behind there when you bench press.” Jeff said, and gesticulated to right behind the apparatus. “And I’ll watch over you while you do it. I’ll help get it off the rack, and if you get into trouble, I’ll help you get it up right away. It’s like a living safety mechanism. It’s one of the perks of working out with someone you know.” </p><p>“Oh, okay. I’m willing to try, I just don’t want to do it alone.”</p><p>“That’s what I’m here for. Among other things.” Jeff said with a shrug, then laid down to do his warmup set, while Annie watched. Once finished, he stood up and gesticulated to Annie. “Your turn.” He told her, and moved behind the bench. </p><p>Annie sat down on the bench, and laid down under the bar. “Promise me you’ll catch it? Don’t mess with me on this Jeff.” She said, her eyes staring up at him from down on the bench, with a mixture of worry and a cold look that screamed that she would murder him if he dared do otherwise. Somehow, she managed to both look terrifying and adorable at the same time, it was a real Annie superpower.</p><p>“I promise, Annie. I won’t let anything happen to you.” </p><p>“Okay.” Annie returned with a nod. She reached her hand up to the bar, which was just barely low enough that she could reach it. </p><p>“Tell me and I’ll help you get it off the rack.” Jeff offered.</p><p>“Now, if you can.”</p><p>Jeff did as she asked, and lifted it off the rack, then let go as soon as he was sure Annie had it under control. Annie did one rep fairly comfortably, with Jeff holding his hands out, ready to help if she needed it. Annie repeated it seven more times, then on her ninth repetition struggled to get it up. Jeff saw her struggling to move it, and got his hands in place. Once it got evident that the bar was moving downwards, Jeff helped out and assisted her in getting it up.</p><p>“Damn it.” Annie exclaimed in frustration, slightly out of breath from the effort. </p><p>“You did well.”</p><p>“I only did 8 though, plan was 10.” Annie sneered in frustration.</p><p>“Things don’t always go to plan. When it comes to this stuff, take one step at a time. Next time you might be able to do 9, or maybe even 10. And then we can increase the weight. Don’t push yourself too hard on the next set though, you’ll usually do worse right after going to failure on the set before.” Jeff told her honestly, offering her some advice he himself had learned.</p><p>“It’s so annoying though. I want to be good at it, but I can’t just study my way to mastering it.” Annie said with a frustrated groan as she stood up from the bench.</p><p>“Look at it as a subject you can only study every few days, in which your progress will be little by little, and not always linear. Some days your body won’t cooperate with you, and that might feel like a setback, but don’t think of it that way. Important thing is that you push yourself, that way you will get stronger.” Jeff explained calmly, trying to relate it something Annie knew.</p><p>“That makes sense, I guess.” </p><p>“It does. You’ll get used to it; I promise.” Jeff told her while he grabbed some weight plates.</p><p>They continued using the bench after that, with Jeff doing a few more warm-up sets, interchanging with Annie who did two more sets of five repetitions with assistance, after Jeff told her to easy down the load after the first set. Jeff then moved on to his normal sets, while Annie grabbed a kettlebell nearby and started doing squats to pass the time while she waited for Jeff. He explained that he had to do warmup sets to avoid injuring himself due to the higher load he was doing, to which Annie nodded understandingly. She wasn’t really there where she <em>could</em> do warmup sets due to them not having any lighter bars, but Jeff promised that she’d get there soon enough if she just stayed with it.</p><p>They moved on to doing cable crossovers, which Jeff swore was what had helped make his chest pop out even more in recent years.</p><p>“It’s amazing. Looks dumb, but the movement puts more direct stress on the chest muscles compared to bench pressing, which also requires a lot of triceps.” He explained excitedly as he set himself up to demonstrate for her. “You do it like this, you grab a handle on each side, then you move them simultaneously in front of your body until they cross. Make sure that you don’t push downwards, that’s not the intention of the exercise.” He explained to her while demonstrating the movement with the lightest weight possible. He calmly set the weights back and let go. “You try.” </p><p>Annie nodded, and grabbed one of the handles, then moved across to the other side while holding it, to grab the other. Unlike Jeff she couldn’t just reach them by leaning over slightly, but she got hold of both and moved to the center like he had shown. Slowly, she moved them across, with Jeff standing there studying her technique. “That’s good. Do five reps for now, slowly so you get used to the technique.” </p><p>Annie did as he told her, while they alternated between using the equipment. They finished up a while later and was about to move to a different part of the gym while they idly chatted, when suddenly someone they just walked past spoke up.</p><p>“Wait a minute, aren’t you Jeff Winger and Annie Edison?” The stranger said, and Jeff and Annie both turned around.</p><p>“Yeah?” Jeff confirmed with a raised eyebrow. “Do I know you?”</p><p>“I’m Dan, I used to rap in a band with Vaughn.” The stranger, now identified as Dan, explained. “You used to date Vaughn, didn’t you?” He asked Annie.</p><p>“Yeah, I did. I think I vaguely remember you? Sorry, it’s been a long time.” Annie said.</p><p>“Yeah, I get that, it’s been a while. Time flies, huh.” Dan said, and shook his head slightly.</p><p>“It really does.” Jeff returned, then smiled fondly down at Annie, who was standing beside him.</p><p>“I know this is a bit sudden of me to ask, but are you two dating?” Dan abruptly asked, his eyes flickering between the two.</p><p>Annie and Jeff both got a little taken aback by the response, and looked at each other, both with their mouths slightly open, unsure of what to respond. Defiantly, Annie turned around to Dan, and spoke. “Yes, we are.” She confirmed with a smile.</p><p>“Huh.” Dan merely reacted.</p><p>“Anything wrong with that?” Jeff asked, a bit curious by Dan’s reaction.</p><p>“No, absolutely not!” Dan clarified instantly, seeing the glare they were both giving him. “I just, I thought you were gay.” He said, looking at Jeff with a slightly embarrassed expression.</p><p>“What?” Jeff exclaimed, and blinked a bit in pure shock from what he had just heard.</p><p>“I don’t know, I just remember you walking out on two girls practically fighting over you at that dance before me and a bunch of others transferred, and Pierce always told everyone you were gay, so I think I just assumed?” Dan explained.</p><p>“Okay, wow. Pierce even haunts me with assumptions of me being gay from the grave.” Jeff said, and he couldn’t hold a back a slight chuckle from the ridiculousness of it all.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m sorry man. My bad, I shouldn’t have assumed.” Dan said apologetically.</p><p>“It’s okay. I made a bit of a scene there after all, can’t blame you for remembering that when you didn’t see me again before now.” Jeff said, his features more relaxed now.</p><p>“By the way, are you still in contact with Vaughn?” Annie asked Dan.</p><p>“Not really, no. We moved on to separate places and lost touch years ago. Why?” </p><p>“Okay so, don't tell Vaugh about this, but after Jeff left the party, he ran into me after I got Vaughn to drive me back. And I kissed him.” Annie explained, offering him that little tidbit of info for reasons unknown to Jeff, who simply looked at her with a puzzled expression.</p><p>“Holy shit, what!?” Dan said, his eyes wide in shock. “You got <em>two</em> girls to say that they love you in the same night, walked out on both, then got a kiss from a third one? That’s the stuff of legend man, holy crap.” </p><p>“I did kiss her back, to be fair.” Jeff pointed out.</p><p>“So, you guys have been dating ever since, or?” </p><p>“No, we actually got together quite recently.” Annie responded.</p><p>“Oh, cool.” Dan said instantly, then paused. “Well you two make a very cute couple.”</p><p>“Aw. Thank you.” Annie cooed.</p><p>“Thanks Dan, that’s very nice of you.” Jeff added.</p><p>“Also, Annie. Can I just say something I never did way back then?” Dan asked.</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>“I never really understood why you were with Vaughn. Like, he was a decent enough guy, but you two seemed so different from each other.” Dan said carefully.</p><p>Jeff looked down at Annie, curious to see what she would say. He had wondered exactly that at the time, but was never really in a position to ask. Now suddenly, he could possibly learn the answer, without ever bringing it up himself. </p><p>“Oh. I don’t know, really. It was fun, and he helped me relax a little. I’ve always been bad at letting my shoulders down, and he kind of made me relax. You’re right though, we didn’t really have anything in common. Looking back at it, I don’t think we would have worked out even if I went with him.” Annie replied thoughtfully, and Jeff could see that she was thinking hard about what to say.</p><p>“Yeah that makes sense.” Dan commented.</p><p>“I think Jeff does some of the same for me. He helps me relax a little more, and worry less. It’s nice to just have someone that can ease you down and make you laugh, you know?” Annie elaborated, then looked up at Jeff. “But we have far more in common than I ever did with Vaughn.” She added while she smiled warmly up at him, a smile which Jeff returned.</p><p>“That’s good to hear. Anyway, I think I’m going to get back to it now.” Dan said, and gestured down to the leg press machine he was sitting on.</p><p>“Yeah, we should too. Was good seeing you again.” Jeff responded.</p><p>“Likewise.”</p><p>And with that, Jeff and Annie moved on to continue their regularly scheduled program. To Annie’s discontentment, Jeff moved on to train arms, which she reluctantly agreed to join in on. Within half an hour, they were both out of the gym and on their way back to Jeff’s apartment, where they’d shower and eat dinner before the planned video chat with their friends.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><em>Hey guys! Reminder about the video chat in ten minutes! Hope to see you all there, sorry again for yesterday!</em><br/>-Group Organizer [Annie Edison] 6:49 PM<p><em>I’ll be there Annie!!</em><br/>
-Aw, that’s a Detective [Shirley Bennett] 6:50 PM</p><p><em>Ready whenever.</em><br/>
-Fixer Lady [Francesca Dart] 6:50 PM</p><p><em>This better be good, I didn’t go out yesterday because of you</em><br/>
-Professor Drunkan [Ian Duncan] 6:51 PM</p><p><em>Saved you some money then</em><br/>
-Jacked Professor [Jeff Winger] 6:51 PM</p><p><em>Uncalled for Winger, when did you get so bloody boring?</em><br/>
-Professor Drunkan [Ian Duncan] 6:52 PM</p><p><em>After I realized that sleeping on the sidewalk isn’t that cool.</em><br/>
-Jacked Professor [Jeff Winger] 6:52 PM</p><p><em>Now you’re just taking cheap shots. Don’t be a wanker</em><br/>
-Professor Drunkan [Ian Duncan] 6:52 PM</p><p><em>For once I believe Jeffrey is right, the Lord does not look favorably on your drinking Duncan.</em><br/>
-Aw, that’s a Detective [Shirley Bennett] 6:53 PM</p><p><em>Jeff is right. It’s unprofessional and unbecoming of a published professor.</em><br/>
-Fixer Lady [Francesca Dart] 6:53 PM</p><p><em>Guys, leave him be. It’s the weekend, he can do what he wants</em><br/>
-Resident Slob [Britta Perry] 6:54 PM</p><p><em>This feels like a re-run.</em><br/>
-Movie Director [Abed Nadir] 6:54 PM</p><p>Seeing as the group was back to fighting, Jeff sighed and looked at Annie. “You ready?”</p><p>“Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.” Annie said, but her face told otherwise. She was nervous, and he could tell. He would be lying if he wasn’t nervous himself, but he had promised Annie and himself that he was all in no matter what, and he was determined to stick to that promise.</p><p>“Hey, it’ll be okay.” He said encouragingly.</p><p>“I know, it’s just, I’ve replayed it so many times in my head, telling them that we’re dating now. And now it’s like we’re going official. That’s a big deal.” </p><p>“It is. I never thought this would ever happen. Relationships didn’t matter all that much to me, and I never cared what the group might think about whoever I was with. And when a part of me started to want it with you, I convinced myself that it couldn’t happen. Yet here I am, sweating over telling our friends about us.”</p><p>“Are you having any doubts?” Annie asked him directly.</p><p>“No. I want this. I know we’ve only been doing this a little over a month, but I’m in this for the long run. There is nobody else for me. It’s either a homerun with you or I’m striking out.” Jeff said without hesitation, his eyes looking directly at Annie.</p><p>“Aw, I made Jeff Winger want to settle down.” Annie said, and smiled happily at him.</p><p>“First you made me care about people, then you ruined every other woman for me, made me fall hopelessly in love, and made me want things I never imagined wanting. You’re incredible Annie, and I love you.” Jeff said, then leaned forward to give her a short, but sweet kiss.</p><p>“I love you too Jeff.”</p><p>“Guess we should get on there before we’re too late.” Jeff noted.</p><p>“Yeah. I’ll take the dining room and you sit here?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Sure. Hopefully they don’t notice where you are right away.” </p><p>“I’ll set it up so they can only see the wall behind me. Should be vague enough that they won’t realize.” Annie suggested.</p><p>“Good plan.” Jeff agreed. “Well, good luck, I guess. See you on the other side.” </p><p>“Good luck. We’re going to nail this.” Annie returned, and smiled before she stood up and picked up her laptop. </p><p>Jeff brought out his own laptop, and opened it up. Meanwhile he heard a buzz beside him.</p><p><em>Link to the video chat here guys!</em><br/>
Group Organizer [Annie Edison] 6:59 PM</p><p>This was it. He would need to put up a façade for just a little while longer, and then he could finally let down his shoulders. They’d agreed that Annie would lead and that she’d bring it up, since she called the meeting to begin with. </p><p>Jeff connected to the chat, and found only Annie there so far. </p><p>“Hey.” He greeted.</p><p>“Hey there.” Annie returned, and her warm smile was no less radiant through the pc screen.</p><p>Seconds later, Frankie appeared. </p><p>“Frankie!” Annie exclaimed cheerfully, and the loud noise from the dining room was enough for Jeff’s head to be momentarily turned towards it. </p><p>“Hello you two.” Frankie returned calmly, as she usually did.</p><p>“Hello.” Jeff offered, slightly more standoffish than Annie. </p><p>“How have you been recently?” Annie asked Frankie.</p><p>“I’ve been good. More responsibility at work in the wake of the committee being defunct, but nothing I can’t handle.” Frankie responded informatively, her face flat and showing little emotion.</p><p>“How is Greendale these days?” Annie continued asking.</p><p>“Good. The budgets are looking healthier after we were able to scrap some redundant classes and get rid of some unqualified professors in the process.” Frankie responded.</p><p>“Well, I for one think it’s going quite well there.” Jeff chimed in with.</p><p>“I’m even hearing good things about Jeff’s classes. I was skeptical when Craig proposed giving you responsibility of another class, but I assume you finally decided to try?” Frankie asked, and Jeff couldn’t help but notice a slight tinge of hostility there. Part of him wondered if it was because of the disagreement regarding Annie a while back, his lax approach to teaching the year prior, or just that she didn’t like him in general, but he didn’t think this was the time to dig into that.</p><p>“Something like that.” Jeff returned nonchalantly. </p><p>Before tensions could rise further, another person appeared.</p><p>“Dean..Craig!” Annie cheerfully said again, and this time Jeff managed to not be distracted by the noise from the neighboring room.</p><p>“Close call there Annie, I’m a sadly no longer your dean, you know.” The Dean pointed out instantly.</p><p>“You’ll always be the Dean to me.” Annie said, and smiled happily. Despite her doubts about the school at times, Jeff didn’t doubt that she meant it. She did like him; she just didn’t always agree with the laid-back nature of the school at times.</p><p>“Aw. And you will always be one of my favorite students.” The Dean returned kindly. “Speaking of, Jeffrey!”</p><p>“Craig.” Jeff responded in acknowledgement.</p><p>“If I may ask, what exactly was this meeting called for?” Frankie interjected herself to ask.</p><p>“I called the meeting to-“ Annie began, before another person appeared to interrupt her train of thought. “Abed!”</p><p>“Hello. Annie. Jeff. Dean. Frankie. I was going for fashionably late, but it appears that my plan has failed. I should have waited longer.” Abed opened with, to the bemusement of the ones present.</p><p>“Well we’re glad to have you here on time.” Jeff responded.</p><p>“I expected you to be the last one to arrive, Jeff. I realize now that I didn’t think that through. It was Annie calling the meeting, of course you would be here on time. It makes so much sense.” Abed noted.</p><p>Before Abed could do more deductions, another person joined.</p><p>“A black screen. That certainly isn’t ominous.” Jeff noted at seeing the black screen of whoever joined. Right after he did, the black screen disappeared, and he was met with the sight of Shirley.</p><p>“Shirley!” Annie exclaimed happily, her excitement at seeing Shirley ringing through the room.</p><p>“An-nie!” Shirley returned gleefully, and her sheer happiness at seeing Annie was evident even through the pc. </p><p>“It’s so good to see you!” Annie said fondly.</p><p>“Oh An-nie it’s so good to see you too! I have so many questions!” Shirley said, then the sound of another incoming person interrupted her. “But I must ask, who is this new person I don’t recognize?”</p><p>“Ah, Shirley hasn’t met Frankie, and Frankie hasn’t met Shirley. One left, the other stepped into their void. Yet they never overlapped, and now they meet under less than ideal circumstances. It’s kind of like when Michael Scott met David Brent.” Abed astutely pointed out.</p><p>“Not your finest comparison, Abed.” Jeff chimed in.</p><p>“Not my best one, but that only goes to show how unprecedented this trope truly is.” Abed responded.</p><p>“Hello, I’m Frankie.” Frankie said after shooting a glare at the screen, presumably directed towards Abed, and Jeff could see her reaching out her hand as if to shake Shirley’s hand, before realizing that she couldn’t do that. He rolled his eyes at her, and thanked himself for being better with technology than lots of other people his age.</p><p>“Hi! I believe Abed already said my name, but I’m Shirley.” Shirley said cheerfully.</p><p>“Pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Frankie said. Jeff saw that Abed was studying the screen intently, likely taking in all he could about the awkwardness of a first introduction between the predecessor and their replacement, or some tropey thing like that. </p><p>“Good things, I hope?” Shirley asked.</p><p>“Exclusively. They practically freaked out when I nearly sat down in your old seat when I first arrived at Greendale. And your sandwich shop has been key in helping us provide healthier and more affordable meals to students.” Frankie noted.</p><p>“Aw, that’s nice!” Shirley cooed, and in the background, Jeff noted that he could hear the sound of a pencil against paper. Normally he’d suspect Annie, but he was sure it wasn’t her this time. He decided he wouldn’t point it out, this time.</p><p>“I have heard about you too; I hear you have helped make the school run better?” Shirley asked.</p><p>“Yes, I was hired to make the school more effective, among other things. The committee was of great help in making that happen, and I’m grateful for the work Annie and the rest of you did in easing the load on me, and for the progress you made in the year before I joined.” Frankie responded.</p><p>“Well you can thank for Jeff for that, it was suggestion after all.” Annie pointed out. “Without him we might all have moved on, despite evidently not being ready to do so. I wouldn’t be where I am now, nor would the rest. And who knows might have happened to Greendale.” </p><p>“It wasn’t <em>that</em> bad.” The Dean retorted, somewhat defensively.</p><p>“Well, based on the annual financial reports and the valuation of the school, and the number of graduates moving on to jobs or higher studies elsewhere, I believe that Annie is correct. The difference before and after the committee is staggering, and hopefully we can continue making good progress.” Frankie countered. “And much of that is due to Jeff, both for suggesting the committee, and for contributing himself.” </p><p>“Well it is true that Greendale wasn’t exactly blessed by the Lord previously-“ Shirley began, before another person appeared to interrupt her mid-sentence.</p><p>“Hello folks, sorry, I got caught up with the rozzers.” Duncan said as soon as he appeared on screen.</p><p>“Speaking of things not blessed by the Lord.” Jeff quipped right away, and right away he heard the sound of a pencil on paper yet again.</p><p>“I’ll have you know that I blew beneath the legal limit, so I will not be needing your services Jeff.” Duncan retorted right away. </p><p>“Never mind that, who keeps writing on a piece of paper?” Jeff asked, more curious about the recurring sound of someone writing.</p><p>“I am. I’m recording the amount of classic lines delivered by the main cast in our special episode.” Abed replied. </p><p>“Oookay.” Shirley responded. “Where is Brit-ta?”</p><p>“She probably just forgot the time.” Jeff noted.</p><p>“An-nie, why don’t you go get her? You two live together again, right?” Shirley asked.</p><p>“Uhhh.” Annie responded, and Jeff could see her hesitation on her face. He knew he had to swoop in for the rescue otherwise she might accidentally pop up on his screen if she wandered away from where she was sitting.</p><p>“I’ll call her, be right back.” Jeff responded, and pulled out his phone. As he was bringing up her number, another person joined the call.</p><p>“Ah, there she is.” Duncan remarked right away as Britta appeared on screen. </p><p>“Hello guys, sorry I’m late. Chomsky hasn’t been feeling feel, so I took him to the vet. Apparently, he has some dental issue that made him eat poorly, he needs to get soft foods from now on.” Britta told the group as she appeared.</p><p>“Hey!” The group greeted in unison.</p><p>“That’s alright, you’re here now. Though I hope you are more dean-igent with your class attendance, Britta.” The Dean noted.</p><p>“I’ll have you know that her attendance has been spotless.” Duncan chimed in with.</p><p>“Annie hesitated when asked about where you were. Yet now you appeared, and you were apparently away from the apartment. Annie would know about this if she was there herself.” Abed remarked in classic fashion.</p><p>“Oh, she was out when I left. I forgot to tell her, and I forgot to mention it in the chat earlier too, so she didn’t know where I was.” Britta replied instantly, making up a remarkably convincing lie on the spot. It seemed to silence Abed, but Jeff knew he’d continue studying them.</p><p>“Uh, well. It seems like we’re just missing Chang.” Annie pointed out.</p><p>“We can probably continue without him; God only knows why he was invited to begin with.” Shirley suggested.</p><p>“He actually displayed a remarkably character development in our sixth season. Some might say it was too little, too late, but as redemption arcs go, it wasn’t the worst I have seen.” Abed said thoughtfully, and a few of the group nodded in acknowledgement. He certainly didn’t seem as crazy as earlier, though he wasn’t exactly predictable or boring.</p><p>As if on cue, he appeared. “Hey guys!” He greeted warmly.</p><p>“Hello.” The others greeted.</p><p>“Well, that should be everyone.” Frankie said matter-of-factly.</p><p>“We’re nine people. Like the Brady Bunch. <em>Nice</em>.” Abed noted.</p><p>“Yup.” Annie confirmed, and was met with some awkward silence.</p><p>“Oh An-nie, I believe you had something you wanted to tell us? I assume you didn’t just gather us all here to catch up?” Shirley asked curiously.</p><p>“Well, I for one think that it’s lovely to see all my favorite students, and a few employees again.” The Dean commented.</p><p>“While I agree with that notion, I would prefer if we could move this along.” Frankie said flatly.</p><p>“It is nice seeing you all, but yes, I did bring you here for a reason. I have some news I wanted to tell all of you, and I wanted everyone to know at the same time.” Annie began. Jeff could see that she was a bit nervous, but as much as he wanted to go over there and tell her that it’d be okay, he had to let her continue. “I wanted to tell you all….that I got a job with the Denver FBI!” She said happily.</p><p>For a few seconds, the group meshed into an inaudible mess, where it was impossible to hear what anyone was saying. It sounded like congratulations, and Jeff assumed that it was. He and Annie had talked about bringing up the job first, as a way to soften them up a bit before the reveal later, and it certainly seemed to be lifting spirits.</p><p>“Oh An-nie, congratulations!” Shirley exclaimed happily once the initial wave died down.</p><p>“Congratulations Annie!” The Dean remarked.</p><p>“That’s crazy, congratulations!” Chang added.</p><p>“Congratulations Annie.” Jeff said himself, giving her a knowing smile.</p><p>“I believe congratulations are in order, congratulations Annie.” Frankie said flatly, but offered a rare smile.</p><p>“Congrats Annie.” Britta offered.</p><p>“Hm. As I suspected. Congratulations.” Abed said curiously.</p><p>“Congratulations. Could you help me get rid of evidence of-“ Duncan began.</p><p>“No Duncan, I won’t help cover up whatever it is you’re doing.” Annie interrupted him to say. “So, I prefer that you don’t tell me, because I don’t want to hide your dirty secrets. And you guys! Thank you!”</p><p>“Now I <em>definitely</em> need to add you to the famous alumni list.” The Dean noted.</p><p>“This is definitely a big boost for the school. Having someone go straight from Greendale to the FBI is a massive deal. Would you consent in the school using your name in promotional material for the school?” Frankie asked.</p><p>“Sure!” Annie responded with a wide smile.</p><p>“Oh An-nie! I’m so glad you got your dream job!” Shirley remarked cheerfully.</p><p>“Well I’m not a full researcher yet, I’m just an assistant for now, they want me to learn the job and take two extra classes for credit, and then hopefully I will get the full job when one of the senior researchers retires at the end of the year.” Annie clarified, trying to explain it calmly, but the smile on her face kept creeping through.</p><p>“Still, this is amazing Annie. We’re all incredibly proud of you.” Jeff offered, knowing he had to keep up appearances as not to arise suspicion. </p><p>“Yes, we’re so proud of you An-nie!” Shirley agreed.</p><p>“Not going to lie here, I already knew, but I’m really happy for you.” Britta told her.</p><p>“Aw, you guys!” Annie cooed, and Jeff could feel himself melt from the sound of it. She was too adorable sometimes. “But I have some more news too.” She added, and Jeff felt his breath hitch for a moment. This was it, the moment they had been waiting for ever since they got together.</p><p>“Oh?” Shirley reacted, and Jeff could see Abed tilting his head slightly. The others remained silent in anticipation.</p><p>“I wanted to tell you guys…that Jeff and I are dating!” Annie said cheerfully, but with a tinge of nervousness in her voice. Jeff felt his breath stop for a moment, as if time stopped around him. He was waiting, waiting for a reaction from someone.</p><p>“Oh.” The Dean was the first to say, and the deflation was evident in his voice.</p><p>“Congratulations guys!” Britta said happily, though she already knew, and knew about their plan to tell everybody.</p><p>“Man, that was a real chang of subject. That's is amazing, congrats guys!” Chang offered, equally cheerfully as Britta.</p><p>“Oh. Uh, congratulations you two.” Shirley told them, more hesitantly.</p><p>“Congratulations.” Frankie said.</p><p>“Well well well. Winger finally got his Annie. I’d love to pretend I was surprised, but I already knew.” Duncan said fairly calmly.</p><p>“Not going to lie here, I knew too. But congratulations again you two.” Britta told them again.</p><p>“As I expected. This was an inevitable conclusion to their spinoff-series. Annie clearly wasn’t in her room, or in the apartment. Once Annie was back in Greendale, it was only a matter of time given the season six ending. Annie got to experience a little adventure away from Greendale, and realized that the grass wasn’t greener on the other side. With no judgement from friends and Jeff’s feelings in the open, it was natural that they’d pick up where they left off before Annie left. All that remained was for Jeff to allow himself to act on them, or risk losing her forever.” Abed said analytically.</p><p>“Uh, thanks Abed.” Jeff said, offering him a forced smile from the unwanted analysis. “And thanks guys.”</p><p>“You missed an opportunity though. The moment would have been more impactful if you two suddenly appeared together on screen.” Abed added, and Jeff could see Annie rolling her eyes at him. The others however, remained oddly quiet.</p><p>“Well I believe congratulations are in order for you two, you two will make a great couple. One two of our proudest graduates, one of them in the FBI, the other one as our best teacher.” The Dean noted, and Frankie shot him a skeptical look. “I can’t say I’m surprised though; I have seen you around here, Annie. Including when Jeff hasn’t been home. Did you find his spare key? I haven’t seen it around in a few years.”</p><p>“Ehm, if I may ask, how long have you two been seeing each other?” Frankie interrupted to ask.</p><p>“Around a month.” Jeff replied, and he could see Annie disappearing from her screen, before she came strolling into the living room, where she sat down beside Jeff on the couch.</p><p>“I see.” Frankie replied vaguely.</p><p>“Look, guys. If you have anything you want to say, now is the time.” Annie said while she leaned into Jeff’s shoulder.</p><p>“Well I believe you two are very cute together, but I do worry about you two.” Shirley offered them, though hesitantly. </p><p>“We appreciate the concern, but there’s nothing to worry about.” Annie responded right away, and Jeff couldn’t help but notice the <em>we</em>. They were a thing now. A couple. An official one.</p><p>“I know you two really like each other, and it might seem nice now, but you never know what might happen.” Shirley continued.</p><p>“Shirley, we get it.” Jeff told her, and sighed. This was what he feared could happen. I wasn’t outright rejection, but it wasn’t approval either. </p><p>“I believe I already told you what I think about you two together, and I was told that my opinion on the subject wasn’t wanted. But I still stand by what I said, don’t think this is the right move for you professionally, Annie, nor do I think Jeff is the sort of influence you need in your life. I know you’d like all of our approval, but I can’t say I understand your relationship. However, I will not stand in your way either, like I promised.” Frankie said, reiterating what she had told them both after Annie returned to Greendale.</p><p>“Okay, I think you two are being a bit too harsh. I’ve known about them for a while now, and I’ve been able to see them together. They’re <em>really</em> good together, guys. Jeff has been a perfect gentleman to her, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him try this hard for anything in his life. And Annie has practically moved in with him. She’s barely around the apartment now. If they were a horrible, dysfunctional couple with no future, they wouldn’t have ever told us about it. They just want our support, guys, and I think they deserve that.” Britta offered up in their defense.</p><p>“I agree.” Abed began. “On the surface, they might seem like your typical opposites attract couple, the classical couple that are fun but doesn’t have anything in common, and ultimately fights and breaks up. The old guy and the younger woman. The egotistical, pragmatic, lazy man and the selfless, idealistic, hard working woman. It looks like your typical Hollywood movie couple. But they have more in common if you look beyond the surface level. On the surface, Annie cares mostly about doing well and helping others. But she can also be selfish and disregard others. Jeff wants people to think that he only cares about himself, and to a certain extent, that’s true, but he also does care a lot about others. Most of all he cares about Annie. Annie is your typical type A person, but she struggles to relax, while Jeff struggles with working hard and commitment. Jeff has helped Annie relax, while Annie makes Jeff work harder and embrace a degree of idealism and a will to be better. They’re yin and yang. Opposite, but with features in common. They’re complimentary, they make each other better versions of themselves. But most importantly, they have chemistry, a shared understanding. All they needed was timing.” He detailed; his words measured as he analyzed their whole relationship dynamic without ever seeing them close up in a true relationship.</p><p>The group remained silent for a bit after that, with nobody really knowing what to say as people looked at the screen in stunned silence from Abed’s analysis. </p><p>“Well that was very poignant, but I already knew about this, so I’m going to go grab another pint.” Duncan finally said to break the silence, then logged off.</p><p>“Yeah that was way too many words for me.” Chang added.</p><p>Meanwhile, Jeff and Annie were simply looking at each other. Abed had hit the nail on the head. He <em>did</em> want to be better for Annie. It wasn’t a chore around her. It was him improving himself, because she’s worth it. He had no doubts about that. He loved Annie, and Annie deserved nothing but the best. That meant him being the best possible version of himself that he could possibly be, and more than ever before, he was striving to be just that.</p><p>Jeff had by now lost interest in the conversation going on, and clapped the laptop shut and discarded it on the table, before he closed the gap between himself and Annie, meeting her own lips with his in a warm and loving kiss. It was a cliché, sure, but she completed him. Without her in his life there was a big Annie-shaped void there, but now he had her, and there was no way he would let go, no matter what Frankie, Shirley or anybody else might think.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Half an hour later, they had decided to settle down on the couch for a relaxing night together, before Annie would return home a few hours later. They had decided they would watch Interstellar, another recommendation from Abed. They were in the beginning stages of the movie, when suddenly the sound of Hans Zimmer falling asleep on his organ was interrupted by the sound of Jeff’s phone calling. Jeff picked up the phone from his coffee table, and looked at the display.<p>“It’s Shirley.” He said, just loud enough for Annie to hear over the sound of the movie.</p><p>Annie reached over to the remote, and paused the movie. “You should take it.” She replied.</p><p>“You sure?” Jeff asked her, his brows furrowed.</p><p>“She wasn’t that harsh. She probably feels bad, so let’s just hear her out.” Annie told him softly.</p><p>“Okay. I’ll be in there.” Jeff said, and gestured to his bedroom. </p><p>“Okay.” Annie said with a nod, as Jeff headed towards the bedroom.</p><p>Once inside the bedroom, Jeff accepted the call and sat down on the bed. “Hello Shirley.” He opened up with trying not to sound needlessly hostile, but not especially warm either.</p><p>“Hello Jeffrey. Is Annie with you?” Shirley replied right away.</p><p>“She’s in the living room, I’m in the bedroom right now.” Jeff told her honestly.</p><p>“Okay, good. Because I wanted to talk with you, and you alone.” Shirley said, and her voice sounded like she was about to give one of her patented lectures.</p><p>“Great, here we go.” Jeff said with a sigh, mentally preparing himself for a lecture.</p><p>“Jeffrey, don’t you give me that tone. At least give me the chance to speak, then you can make up your mind.” Shirley instantly replied.</p><p>“Fine.” Jeff replied coldly.</p><p>“I would like to start by saying that I don’t disapprove of you two. Maybe, once upon a time, I did. You were older, and she was fresh out of high school. I didn’t think it was appropriate. But you’ve grown, and so has she. You are a better person now than you were when we met you, and I don’t doubt that you will do everything in your power to do right by Annie. I don’t fear that you will be disloyal to her, or ever do anything to hurt her. You are a lot of things, but I don’t believe you have it in you to hurt her. She means too much to you. That much has been evident for a long, damn time. We all saw it. If you thought for even a second that we didn’t notice those many glances between you two, then you were sorely mistaken. But we also saw that you kept your distance. If that was the right thing to do, I don’t know, but I know that it was you trying to be unselfish.” Shirley said, then paused to catch her breath.</p><p>“However.” She continued. “I fear what might happen if things don’t work out between you two. I know how much she means to you, and how desperate you will be to make this work. I fear that if things don’t work out between you two, you will give up. Not just on her, but on everything else too. I’m not afraid that you’ll hurt her, I’m afraid of what might happen if she hurts you and decides she wants something different.”</p><p>Jeff remained silent after hearing what Shirley said. </p><p>“Jeffrey? Please say something?” Shirley asked, sounding genuinely worried.</p><p>“You’re not wrong.” Jeff began, his voice low and controlled. “A part of me is scared about that. But I’m trying to be better, both for myself, and to be someone she can be proud of. I’m all in on this. Could that blow up in my face if it doesn’t work out? Absolutely. But I’m taking that chance. I forced her to wait, probably for way too long. But I can’t keep living a lie, Shirley. The honest truth is that I’m in love with her, and I think that I can be happy with her, and that she can be happy with me, if I do this the right way. It’s worth the chance. She’s worth it, Shirley. I don’t know what else to tell you.” He elaborated, letting out all the things he’d already told himself and Annie. He had no doubts about any of this.</p><p>“Well, I hope it works out between you two, I really do. I want both of you to be happy, I just hope nothing happens.” Shirley reiterated in response.</p><p>“Look, all we wanted, the whole reason we wanted to tell people, was to put all the doubt behind us. We simply wanted our friends to be supportive of what we’re doing. That’s all we ask.” Jeff responded, a let out a sigh of frustration. This was the scenario they didn’t want, in which a few couldn’t get behind them. Part of him just felt so <em>angry</em> about it, like he wanted to destroy something just to let out the frustration. They’d acknowledge that he’d grown, that Annie had grown, that they looked good together. But then they’d still find some reason or another why they couldn’t support it, despite how well they had worked through the first few stumbles so far. Why couldn’t they just be happy for them, and leave it at that?</p><p>“I’m sorry Jeff. I probably could have said it better, but I <em>do</em> support you two. I want you to be happy, both of you. If the two of you are happy together, then that’s lovely. Just promise me that you’ll continue working on yourself and taking care of yourself, regardless of what happens, okay?” Shirley clarified to him, and there was a sincerity there in his voice that made him believe that she meant what she was saying. Shirley didn’t have bad intentions, he knew that. As much as unconditional support would be nice, this would be as good as he could get. Support with a tinge of worry was better than no support at all.</p><p>“Well, thank you. But I can’t promise that, you know that. But I’m going to do everything in my power to make things work with Annie. And if I can say so myself, it’s so far, so good. I’m pretty much nailing this boyfriend thing so far.” Jeff told her, and allowed himself to laugh a bit at the end.</p><p>“Well, I hope you are. I’m happy for you two, Jeffrey. It really does sound like you two are happy together.” Shirley told him warmly, and he swore he could imagine her smile through the phone. It had been long, too long, since he had seen her. They really need to lure her back to Greendale for a visit eventually.</p><p>“We are. It’s pretty great, you know?” Jeff said, and now he couldn’t even hold back his own smile. Shirley couldn’t see him, but she had at the very least made him feel better than when he did when he picked up the phone.</p><p>“Oh, I can understand that. When you’re in a relationship and everything just clicks, that’s an amazing feeling. Hold on to that, but make sure that you take care of each other, even when it’s difficult. You’re a team now, and that means that you can’t just take care of yourself or only be there when everything is good. If you can do that, then you’ve two could go the distance.” Shirley said, offering him some honest advice.</p><p>“I promise you; I will do everything I can.” Jeff said without a single semblance of doubt in his voice.</p><p>“Oh, and you could you put me on with An-nie?” Shirley asked him.</p><p>“Sure.” </p><p>“Before you do though, one last thing. Promise me you won’t ever hurt her, or I will find you Jeff, and you will regret ever laying a hand on her.” Shirley added menacingly. </p><p>“I won’t, I promise.” Jeff repeated, but still meant it just as much. He didn’t have it in him to ever hurt her intentionally. “I’ll get you to Annie now.”</p><p>“God bless you.” Shirley said in classic fashion, and Jeff couldn’t help but smile a little. Shirley hadn’t changed all that much.</p><p>“I’ve been lately.” He responded back, and smiled to himself.</p><p>Jeff walked out into the living room, and found Annie sitting there, looking at him as soon as he stepped out of the bedroom. “How did it go?” Annie asked right away.</p><p>“Went well. She wants to talk to you too.” Jeff responded while he closed the distance to the couch. “Here.” He added, and handed her the phone.</p><p>“Be right back.” She told him, and scurried off into the bedroom.</p><p>
  <em>***</em>
</p><p>Fifteen minutes later, Jeff heard the handle to the bedroom door move again, snapping his attention away from the bright lights of his laptop in the otherwise darkened room. He looked over there, and saw Annie step out of the room, sporting a smile that could brighten up even the darkest rooms. </p><p>“How was it?” He asked tentatively.</p><p>“It went well. We talked, and she seemed positive. She has some concerns, mostly about what happens if this doesn’t work out, but overall, she sounded positive.” Annie summarized as she sat down beside him, with Jeff closing the laptop again.</p><p>“That’s pretty much what she told me too.” Jeff responded.</p><p>“There’s always some risks involved in relationships; I think. Especially when it’s with a friend. But it’s a risk I want to take.” Annie told him, her eyes studying him intently, like she was trying to read his feelings with those big eyes he adored so much.</p><p>“I agree. You’re worth it, Annie. You’re worth everything I’ve ever had or will have, and more. I want to make this work. We’re a good team, we always have been, so we’ll figure out this too. Whatever happens, I’ll always love you, and I promise you that I will always be here for you.” Jeff told her sincerely, lovingly, as he looked right back into her eyes. She was smiling at him, and she was happy. She was happy with him, and that was the most important thing in his life now.</p><p>“You’re worth it too, you know. You’re worth the world to me. Don’t ever let yourself think that you aren’t, Jeff. Even if Shirley wouldn’t have supported us, it wouldn’t have changed anything. It doesn’t change what I feel about you. I promise you that I will be there for you too, through the good and the bad. Because we’ll figure it together, as a team. I love you, Jeff Winger.” Annie told him as their eyes interlocked in a loving gaze. </p><p>He could tell that she meant it, she meant every word of what she said. Her voice showed no hints of hesitation, and her always so emotive eyes told him that he had nothing to fear. Once upon a time, her eyes meant everything that he couldn’t have. They scared him, yet drew him closer. In moments of weakness, he found himself gazing at her, then he’d come to his senses and put up his defenses once again, pushing her away. Now the defenses were gone, and he found himself drawn in even closer. Now, her eyes represented the opportunities that lay ahead of him, the hope of a happy future.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff has a really long and eventful day.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Today was the day. Jeff would go to work, teach two classes, get out of there, then go to an interview with Patterson &amp; Young Law, then go out for drinks with Mark to talk about a job offer. An interview likely wasn’t needed in that case, he was rather more curious about what Mark could offer him after a week to think it over. Just your average Friday, right? </p><p>He was staring up at the roof of his suitably cold bedroom, letting his mind race before he had to get out of bed. Instinctively, he reached out his left arm to that side of the bed, hoping to find Annie. To his disappointment, she was nowhere to be found. “Right, she’s back at her place.” He muttered to nobody in particular, remembering that she was back at her apartment for a few days after spending most of the week at his place.</p><p>It felt odd not having her around, empty. He had gotten so used to Annie being around that it felt like something was lacking when she wasn’t around, like he had a silent void in his life without her there. It was odd to him. They hadn’t been dating long, but it felt like they had just skipped a phase of the relationship, with the awkward first dates and all. Instead, they had begun dating, and quite quickly, Annie had began playing house with him. He knew it was something she had fantasized about before, and truth be told, he couldn’t blame her when his life was like this. It was nice, great, even. Having Annie around, waking up with her alongside him, or to the smell of her freshly made (healthy) pancakes was fantastic. Quite simply, it was domestic bliss to have Annie around at his place.</p><p>In a sense, it was quite natural that they had skipped to this phase of the relationship. They had known each other for six years by now, so an elongated “getting to know each other” phase wasn’t needed for either of them. There were no weird habits or dirty secrets there, they knew most things about each other, both good and bad before going into the relationship. The only unknowns were regarding how the other would behave while in a relationship, and as Jeff saw it, it was so far, so good. He didn’t have any indication that Annie saw it any different either. </p><p>It was going so well that he was starting to dream. Gone were his old, pessimistic predictions of how the future would unfold. Instead, they were replaced by hopes and dreams. He knew it was early, but he wanted Annie to stay. Not just stay in Greendale, but with him. Days like these, spent without her, made the longing even bigger. His bed even smelled like her now, making it even more unbearable when she wasn’t there. He wanted her to live with him, permanently. Part of him wanted to ask, but he felt it was early, and didn’t want to scare her off by jumping the gun on that question.</p><p>Instead, he opted to send her a simple morning message.</p><p><em>Good morning beautiful. Heading off to work in a moment, going to be a long day, I fear. Got two classes, then a meeting with Patterson &amp; Young, then afterwards I’m going out for a drink with Mark. Hopefully to talk work. Hope your day will be a bit easier, though if I know you right, you’ll be knee deep in your books as soon as you wake up. Talk once I’m done for the day? Love you.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 7:41 AM</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>Despite the void in his early morning, Jeff arrived at work in time, looking unusually well dressed for the occasion, dressed in a tailored navy single breasted two button suit for the occasion. He strolled into Greendale 15 minutes early, striding through the hallways with an air of confidence around him. Jeff was nearing his classroom when suddenly a familiar voice rung out behind him.<p>“Jeffrey! Wait up.” The Dean called out, causing Jeff to stop in his tracks. Slowly, Jeff turned around to face his boss and neighbor. As he turned around, he noticed Craig’s gaze on him, looking him up and down in what looked like a mix of admiration and curiosity. “Oh my, you look stunning in that.”</p><p>“What is it Dean?” Jeff returned with a tinge of disinterest, deciding to ignore his flattering comments.</p><p>“Oh, I just came to tell you that starting next week, you will be getting a different classroom. It came to my attention that it is unoccupied during your classes, so I figured you could get an upgrade over the frankly quite cramped room you’ve been using since Frankie arrived.” Craig cheerfully told him.</p><p>“Oh, cool.” Jeff nonchalantly replied, not wanting to seem too interesting. Internally, he was pleased. It had been a bit of a kick in the teeth when he got assigned a smaller classroom after his first year, especially since he felt he had at least tried to put in an effort. It had undoubtably put a dent into his motivation, especially combined with how the events at the end of his first year had impacted him emotionally. He wasn’t the same for a while after that, he could freely admit that now, at least to himself and Annie. This felt like an acknowledgement that he was actually doing a decent job. “Which one?”</p><p>“You will be getting auditorium D, or auditorium <em>Dean</em> if you will.” </p><p>“Who used that one previously?” Jeff asked, not familiar with which classes belonged where. Outside of lunch and some chatting in the teacher’s lounge with Duncan, he didn’t really mingle with his fellow co-workers. Before he realized Duncan was back, he hadn’t even set foot in the lounge during that school year.</p><p>“Well, it used to belong to Ladders, but well, you know what happened to that.” Craig said, and Jeff grimaced slightly from the memory of the fear he had felt when he heard that Annie had gotten hurt. “After that, it got reassigned to Sleep Studies, but that got scrapped over the summer as part of Frankie’s ‘<em>streamlining</em>’ process, but nobody seemed to notice that it stood unoccupied.” He explained carefully. “Well, except the two people that had sex there. Made a real mess.”</p><p>“Hopefully just once?” Jeff asked, raising his eyebrow at the last part.</p><p>“Well, if so then they sure had a lot of endurance. The forensics students had a field trip examining that room, they found <em>unspeakable</em> things.” Craig whispered, indicating it so that everybody in the hallway could see that he was indeed whispering.</p><p>“Burn it down.” Jeff ordered.</p><p>“Don’t worry, we had everything cleaned. The forensics teacher even signed off on it, so you know who to blame if you find any, you know.” Craig reassured him.</p><p>“Oh, believe me, if I find anything, I will let him know.” Jeff said menacingly, internally plotting how he could enact revenge for negligence. </p><p>“By the way, if I may ask, why are you dressed like that? Not that I mind, you look-“ Craig began saying before Jeff interrupted him.</p><p>“Felt like it. Hadn’t worn one in a while, so I decided to be dressed appropriately for what I’m teaching.” Jeff lied, not wanting to reveal his job interviews to Craig. He knew he could use it to demand another raise, and likely get it unless Frankie blocked it, but that wasn’t his end goal here regardless.</p><p>“Hm, okay.” Craig since, tilting his head slightly as he once again studied the suit. “Well don’t let me keep you, I assume you have class in a moment.”</p><p>“That I do. See you.” Jeff said with a slight nod, and walked off towards his soon to be old classroom while under the studying gaze of Craig.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Jeff walked into the classroom while looking at his phone, reading Annie’s reply to his earlier text.<p><em>Good morning handsome! Hope your day will be great, and we’ll talk later! Love you! &lt;3</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 8:57 AM</p><p>Jeff smiled at seeing her reply, and sat down by his desk to avoid await the final few student’s arrival.</p><p>“Good morning everyone, today we’re going to continue with federal law. I hope everybody has read chapter 8 of the book as instructed, otherwise you really should do it right after class, as it is essential in getting a grasp of the uniqueness of the American legal system.” Jeff began, once most of the students were in place.</p><p>“What’s with the suit?” Jayden asked. Jeff had quickly learned that he was the most talkative person in class, which had gone both ways for him. He ultimately hadn’t been kicked out of the class, though Jeff had contemplated it early in the year. Jeff had pulled him aside and told him that if he was going to continue to be a distraction, he would be out, which seemed to have done the trick. </p><p>“I have something to do later, but that’s not important.” Jeff casually deflected, not interested in revealing his plans to the students. “You should all be familiar with a standard attire for lawyers regardless, so take this as a future advice if you’re ever at a job interview, law event or anything else that requires you to wear a suit or other fancy wear: make sure that it’s tailored, or that it’s a really good fit. Do not buy a suit without trying it on. It’s a profession in which appearance is highly valued, often required. You don’t need a good-looking face, but you need to be dressed properly. Showing up in suit that doesn’t fit you properly makes you stick out in a poor way. It costs more, but get a tailored suit if you ever find yourself in that position.” He explained to them carefully, offering them some advice he assumed other professors wouldn’t give them.</p><p>“So, I take it that you have a job interview then, since you just <em>happen</em> to wear one now, and just <em>happened</em> to bring up job interviews while you tried to distract us?” Jayden asked him directly, smirking confidently at him.</p><p>Jeff smirked. He knew what Jayden was doing, but decided to be nice and take the bait. “Yes, <em>Jayden</em>. I have an interview. After that, I’m going out for drinks to discuss a standing offer I have for a position with a different firm. However, that information does not leave this room, got that? If I get bombarded by the Dean begging me to stay later, then I can and will find whoever leaked that out.” He told them in confidence. He liked the group, so this could be a suitable test to see if they could keep their mouths shut. If not, well, he would find out who did. He had his ways of making people crack.</p><p>“Now, moving back to the subject at hand.” Jeff said in a far nicer tone. “Federal law, as we went over last time, is the body of laws created by a federal government. To understand this, it’s important to have at least a basic understanding of what a federal government actually is, and how that system differs from a unitary state. This is crucial, so I hope everybody has got that down by now.” He continued, trailing into his lecture for the day.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Jeff was <em>finally</em> on his way out of the school after back to back classes, interrupted by the lunch break he spent chatting idly with Duncan, when suddenly he met Frankie in the hallway.<p>“Hello.” She said formally. </p><p>“Hello.” Jeff responded in turn, equally formal and distant. He didn’t like that things had turned out this way between them. Despite their differences, they had a decent tone in their first year there, but the lack of the group around school and their difference of opinion with regards to Annie had put some distance between them.</p><p>“You’ve dressed up well today. Got plans?” Frankie asked him, her eyes taking note of his suit, as a few others had done earlier in the day.</p><p>“I do.” Jeff responded flatly, not any more interested in telling Frankie than he was to Craig.</p><p>“Look, Jeff. I want to apologize for my behavior towards you in particular during the past two months.” Frankie said, and Jeff focused on her, waiting to hear what she would say. “I’ve been harsh on you with regards to Annie, and I took an unnecessary shot at you for your work efforts the other day. It was uncalled for, and I want to apologize for that. I’ve noted that your work performance has been drastically improved so far this semester, and I take it that some of my fears has been unfounded regarding you and Annie too given her upcoming job.” Frankie told him, and though her voice was a flat as it usually was, he could tell that there was sincerity in her words.</p><p>“Thank you. I understand your concerns, Frankie. They aren’t unfounded, I haven’t been perfect, I still aren’t, but I’m trying to be better. I know you care about her a lot, and that you mean well for her. Just know that I do too.” Jeff replied with a tight-lipped smile, not really sure how to address the half-apology he was offered by Frankie.</p><p>“I’m glad she got that job, I was worried that if she tied herself down here, it would set her career back several years. I was put in a tough position with my career personally due to my family, and I simply didn’t want to see her put hers on halt because she got too tied to Greendale.” Frankie offered, and Jeff saw it as a way for her to justify, or slightly defend her hesitancy regarding his relationship with Annie, at least with regards to Annie’s professional life. He had a feeling that it went deeper, that she harbored some skepticism regarding him as a person too, but didn’t want to dig into that.</p><p>“I’m glad she did too. She had an interview in Arizona, you know.” Jeff said, and he could see that the piece of info caught Frankie’s attention. “Was with a police department there. If she went there, I would have gone with her. But thankfully, she got this offer instead. She’d be a full researcher in Arizona, but she wanted to work with the FBI here instead.”</p><p>“That’s interesting. Would you have quit your job here if she did end up there?” Frankie asked him straight up. </p><p>“Yes, I would have, at least as soon as possible. We agreed to talk more about it if she got an offer, but we never got that far before she got the interview in Denver.” </p><p>“That’s admirable. Must have been a relief though, that she got an offer nearby.” Frankie said, like she was still fishing for some sort of reaction from him.</p><p>“It was. It makes sense to stay, for both of us. Neither have to move, and we can be near family and friends. She’s not close to her family, but I think that only makes her need her friends more. She told me that she was lonely in D.C. after something happened with a co-worker of hers, and hearing that just hurt, you know? I don’t want her to be lonely or hurt. I’m not saying that all of what I’m doing is selfless, but I do care about her, a lot. I want to be there for her when she has those bad days, to cheer her up again, make her some dinner and watch a movie together. Do nice things for her, and help her relax a little. I want to be the one that’s there for her after work is done. And I think it’s okay if she wants that too, if she feels like having someone to come home to is something she wants, instead of simply having a career to focus on, with nothing outside of that.” Jeff explained to her.</p><p>“I can understand that. It is a lonely life, at times. It helps having my sister around, lets me keep my mind off work. As I said though, I’m glad that it worked out for her. I’m happy for you two, despite how skeptical I was. They say that admitting that you’re wrong is important, and it seems that I was in this case. And for that, I’m sorry.” Frankie offered, and he could see her face drop slightly once her sister was mentioned.</p><p>“I know she wants to have her friends around too though. You should reach out to her.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know about that. She likely wasn’t too pleased after what I said on Sunday.” </p><p>“If you tell her what you just told me, you’ll be fine. She respects you and likes you. Talk with her.” Jeff reiterated, trying to nudge Frankie into doing it.</p><p>“Oh alright, you’ve convinced me. I will talk with her later, unless you have plans with her?” Frankie said, nodding her head to indicate that she was referring to his suit.</p><p>“No, she’s at her apartment. She’s all yours today.” Jeff replied, not really sure what Annie was up to.</p><p>“Oh, okay. I will take that into consideration. I won’t hold you any longer though, I can see that you have plans…of some sort.” </p><p>“That I do. See you around, Frankie.” Jeff said, then started heading towards his car.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Jeff showed up early to the offices of Patterson &amp; Young in Denver, determined to make a good impression on them. He had brought with him a tool to clean up his suit in case he got anything on it while at work, and sprayed on a tiny bit of a nice perfume before heading inside. It was a moderately sized office, with the firm holding a few floors for themselves in a downtown Denver building. He was told to report to the seventh floor of the building, where he was told his interview would take place.<p>His first impression as he stepped out of the elevator was that the floor looked nice, really nice. It was sleek, modern, and with lots of natural light flowing in. Looking past the reception area, he could see a typical office, with a decent number of smaller cubicles filling a big room, and with what looked like smaller offices with glass walls to the right of the cubicle area. At the far end, he could see a conference room, and around the corner he assumed there were more offices to be found. He was shaken from his gazing into the room by the receptionist speaking to him.</p><p>“Hi! Welcome to Patterson &amp; Young Law, may I help you?” The woman politely said. She was fairly young, a blonde woman that seemed to be just out of school, not too much younger than Annie, he assumed.</p><p>“Hi. I’m Jeff Winger, I’m here for an interview. I was told that Mr. Patterson is expecting me?” Jeff returned formally. </p><p>“Ah, yes. Follow me, I will take you right to him.” She said, gesturing for him to follow. They walked inside the bigger room he had noticed earlier, walking right past the cubicles. Jeff noticed there were a few eyes on him – as expected when he’s a stranger walking into a place where everyone undoubtably knew each other, dressed far too formally to be someone seeking their assistance.</p><p>They rounded the corner, and reached a well sized office, where he noticed that Mr. Patterson was sitting. “Wait here.” The receptionist said, and walked up to the door. She knocked lightly, then opened up the door. “Jeff Winger is here, sir.” She said, and Patterson looked up from his computer.</p><p>“Ah. I’ll be right out. Take him to the conference room in the meantime.” Patterson replied, and the receptionist nodded in reply and walked back out to Jeff. </p><p>“He will be out momentarily. He’ll meet you in the conference room, follow me.” She told Jeff, then smiled and walked off with Jeff in tow. Jeff walked into the conference room, and sat down to wait, while the receptionist walked off. He was just starting to admire the view from the windows right ahead of him when he heard someone grip the handle of the door.</p><p>Jeff turned around, and saw Stephen Patterson walking into the room. “Ah, Jeff. Good to see you.” He said, and walked up to Jeff, and shook his hand. </p><p>“Likewise, Mr. Patterson.” Jeff returned, and smiled politely.</p><p>“Call me Stephen, no need for formalities.” Stephen told him with a kind smile while he walked around to the other side of the table, sitting down across from Jeff. “Tom will be right with us.” </p><p>“Tom?” Jeff asked, slightly confused. </p><p>“Thomas Young, the other namesake of the company.” Stephen clarified.</p><p>“Ah. I was only familiar with the surname as part of the company name.” </p><p>“That’s understandable. It is a very generic name after all, Thomas Young. I think he silently curses his parents for that, but don’t tell him I said that.” Stephen said, getting a slight chuckle out of Jeff. “How have you and the girlfriend been? Annie, was it?” </p><p>“Annie, yeah. We’ve been good. Finally went ‘official’ this past week, as a couple. And she has her first day in a new job on Monday, so that’s exciting.” Jeff explained.</p><p>“That’s lovely to hear. I wish her good luck with that, and I wish you two the best of luck together as well.” Stephen said, and smiled warmly. Before Jeff could respond with his thanks, he heard the door open yet again. In walked a person Jeff presumed was Thomas Young, a man that looked like he was in his late 50s or early 60s, with rapidly graying hair, and a long, slim physique, to contrast Stephen’s smaller, more compact, but not big frame. </p><p>Thomas walked over to Jeff. “Thomas Young, pleasure to meet you.” He said, and reached out his hand for Jeff to shake.</p><p>Jeff returned the gesture, and shook Thomas’ hand. “Jeff Winger. Pleasure is all mine.” </p><p>“Now that we’ll all here, let’s get started, shall we?” Stephen said, his smile remaining on his face.</p><p>“Right.” Jeff returned, and gulped a bit. Thomas sat down beside Stephen, and put down a few papers.</p><p>“Why don’t you start by telling us a bit about yourself, Jeff? Stephen has filled me in on a bit, but I would much prefer to hear it from you.</p><p>Jeff took a deep breath, then began giving them his best explanation of who he was, what he was doing currently, and what he had done in the past to lead him to where he was now, sitting in front of two older men in a job interview, with slightly sweaty hands. He spoke eloquently and well, and wasn’t interrupted at any point, before he stopped himself. </p><p>“And that’s it, I think. At least that should give you a general idea of who I am.” Jeff said, and let himself breathe again.</p><p>Thomas turned to Stephen, and spoke. “Well you sure weren’t kidding when you said that he had a unique background.” He said, and chuckled a bit. He then turned back around, and looked at Jeff with a friendly expression. “I’ll get right to the most interesting part here. You said that you were disbarred in 2009, can you shed some more light on that?”</p><p>“Well, like I said, I had been working with Hamish, Hamish &amp; Hamlin for a few years before I got disbarred. I was informed a little while prior by a friend of mine that someone was looking into my background, and not long after I was called and informed that I had been disbarred, and fired from the company in the process for breach of contract. Which was correct. I lacked an undergraduate degree, which I claimed to have received from Columbia. In truth it was a falsified online certificate. How it fooled them, I don’t know, but I worked for a few years before it was discovered.” Jeff elaborated for them, with a frown on his face from recalling the memories.</p><p>“If I may ask, why was your background being looked into? Had you done anything to arise suspicion?” Stephen asked.</p><p>“I had just won my biggest case of my career. I was in a group of lawyers in our 30s who were on our way to getting promotions quite soon if we kept that up. I discovered a little over a year later that a guy named Alan, whom I considered a friend at the time, was the one who had looked into it. Naturally, he profited himself from that, he was made partner a year or so after the incident. But as much as that hurt, my degree was false, so I ultimately got what was coming for me.” Jeff told them honestly.</p><p>“Interesting. This can be a cutthroat business at times, so it’s not surprising.” Stephen said thoughtfully.</p><p>“If you could go back, would you have done it again?” Thomas asked.</p><p>“I’m not one for regrets and looking back. It’s nothing I can change, so there no use dwelling on it. Like my girlfriend likes to remind me: even if life kicks you down sometimes, you need to stand back up and give it your best. Ultimately, it’s the road that led me to where I am. I had some good years, some bad years, and some average ones. Now I have a decent job, a nice apartment, and a girlfriend I’m happy with. Life is good to me right now, so there’s no use pondering about what I could have done differently. I’ve made mistakes, massive mistakes at times. But I’m trying my best to do better.” Jeff told them honestly. </p><p>“I’m curious though, how was it to work in law without an undergraduate degree?” Stephen asked.</p><p>“Definitely a challenge initially. Had to pretend like I knew what I was doing. I read up on the laws and all that stuff, but for the most part I relied on my mouth, my ability to speak for myself. Combine that with the rather questionable methods used at my old firm, and I did quite well for myself. I often teamed up with a guy named Mark, wherein he handled the heavy judicial lifting, while I did the talking. I specialized in DUIs and cases like that, as a criminal defense lawyer. So, Mark and I would work to find loopholes, exceptions, and I would go out there armed with that info to attempt to trip up the prosecutors, and convince the jury that the charges were wrongful.”</p><p>“Interesting. It’s quite remarkable to be able to do a capable job without the required education.” Thomas commented, and his face revealed a tinge of surprise. “But I want to ask you about your current job. It says here that you’re a law professor at Greendale Community College. Being a professor, I would image gives you a unique view on the field, could you talk a bit about what you have been teaching?” </p><p>“I began there after my firm folded, and I started teaching a class called Fundamentals of Law. Essentially, it’s a bunch of people with little to no knowledge of what law is about, aside from common knowledge, and my job has been to provide them with a basic level of knowledge and understanding of what law is, how it works, and how the US judicial system differs from other systems in the world. I don’t delve too deeply into comparative law, but I feel that it’s essential for them to understand why the US system is like it is, and what that means in practice. Starting this semester, I’ve also been teaching contractual law. Essentially teaching them about different contract forms, what might make a contract void, the effects of that, et cetera. Essentially it’s an introduction subject to obligation law.” Jeff explained to them in detail.</p><p>“Given your background, how has that impacted your teaching?” Stephen asked as a follow-up.</p><p>“Well, it has made me focus a bit less on the theory, and more how they utilize that knowledge in practice. As part of fundamentals of law, I’ve taught them a bit about how to approach a legal argument, to name one thing.” Jeff replied.</p><p>“And would you go about doing that?” Stephen asked him.</p><p>“Okay so, as a defense lawyer, my job was to clear the defendant of whatever charges they were accused of. The prosecutors, in pressing charges, has formed an opinion about what the defendant did, and constructed an argument based on that. They’ve formed their opinion on what is the truth. Prosecutors will draw a circle around what they consider the truth, and say that everything outside of that circle is a lie. What I would do is point out where what they consider the truth contradicts itself, and in effect letting them argue with themselves. At no point have I claimed that they are lying, I’ve simply found a flaw in their case. If I can pull one crucial part of their argument outside of the circle they’ve established as the truth, that can invalidate their whole case. There’s no point in arguing if you can let them defeat themselves.” Jeff explained to them, detailing his thought process about how to approach a case.</p><p>“Clever, very clever. I can tell that you do have a talent for speaking, Jeff.” Thomas told him, and wrote down something on his notepad.</p><p>“It certainly differs from what a lot of young lawyers are taught these days. They’ve learned by the book, but they can’t win an argument to save their lives.” Stephen added.</p><p>“Another thing I’ve stressed though, is the ethics of law. I don’t want to teach more students to be like I did, where they focus on their own gain instead of doing what’s right. I’ve tried to hammer that home to them.” Jeff added.</p><p>“That’s good to hear.” Stephen acknowledged.</p><p>“If we were to hire you Jeff, what do think you could offer us? Stephen has given me his views on the matter, but I’d like to hear it from you.” Thomas asked.</p><p>“I think I can offer you a unique perspective. I’ve been a shady lawyer in the past. I’ve seen how the less than ethical lawyers operate, what their methods are, and I know how to counter their methods. But I’ve also had to work my way back. I went to a community college to get my degree. Met good people, who made me a better person over time. I tried getting back into the business on my own, trying to do it the right way. But I failed, and I ended up teaching. I didn’t want to do that either, but I’ve grown into enjoying it a bit. I’ve seen that I do have something offer. I’ve seen how do to law the wrong way, how to do it the right way, and I’m a professor. Through all of those experiences, I’ve gained experience and perspective you can’t find elsewhere. Outside of that, you get my ‘talent for speaking’ as you so eloquently put it.” Jeff told them, trying to explain to them why they should hire him.</p><p>“If I may ask, why did your firm fail?” Thomas asked him.</p><p>“Lack of customers and funding, and poor advertisement choices. I screwed it up. In hindsight I shouldn't have done it at all, I didn’t have the money to keep it going for long enough to establish a customer base. I got the odd case here and there, but not enough to keep it afloat.” Jeff replied, and frowned a bit. It wasn’t a proud memory. It had been a big mistake, an expensive one. If he hadn’t gotten the Greendale job, he likely would have lost his apartment. </p><p>“Ah, naturally. It’s easy to fall into that trap. You really do need a good chunk of money if you aspire to start your own firm.” Thomas commented.</p><p>“I learned that the hard way.” Jeff replied.</p><p>“That does seem to be a habit of yours, but as you noted, it does give you a unique perspective. There’s no better teacher than failure.” Stephen offered, and Jeff wasn’t sure how to take that.</p><p>“Well I believe we’ve heard what we need to hear.” Thomas said, his face showing no indication of whether that was good or bad.</p><p>“I believe so too. We’re going to review what we’ve learned and make a decision, then we’ll be in touch.” Stephen nodded in agreement, offering Jeff a friendlier expression. Both he and Thomas got up from their chairs, prompting Jeff to do the same. They both walked around the table, and shook </p><p>Jeff’s hand. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jeff was on with way back to Greendale.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>A few hours later, Jeff walked into a bar unknown to him, his eyes searching for an old friend of his. The room was fairly crowded, but thanks to his height, he was quickly able to spot who he was looking for in the crowd, sitting by the bar, as any person waiting for someone else to show up should.<p>Jeff walked up to the bar silently, quietly sitting down beside his friend while he wasn’t paying attention. Suddenly, they noticed who had sat down beside them.</p><p>“Tango! So good to see you!” The man said excitedly.</p><p>“Mark, good to see you too. Hope I didn’t make you wait too long.” Jeff said, a bit apologetic.</p><p>“Nonsense, I can wait a bit extra for you buddy. Come here.” Mark said, and pulled him in for a hug. They were definitely attracting attention, but Mark didn’t seem to care. He rarely did about those sorts of things, in Jeff’s experience. Together, they had been the perfect duo. The excited, positive and bubbly lawyer, paired up with the sly, calculating and clever lawyer that had a way with words. </p><p>“Got caught in traffic back from Denver, been a long day.” </p><p>“Shit happens, you’re here now. Let’s get ourselves a more private area so we can talk.” Mark said, and stood up from his chair.</p><p>“Sure.” </p><p>“Follow me, I reserved a table for us.” Mark told him, and walked off with Jeff in tow.</p><p>They walked further into the bar, and around a corner, into a more secluded area. They could hear the music of the main area in the background, but it was undoubtably quieter, calmer. They sat down in a half-circle booth, and a man that looked like he worked there approached them.</p><p>“What would you two gentlemen want?” The man asked them politely.</p><p>“A Martinez, and a –“</p><p>“Macallan, neat.” Jeff interrupted Mark to order.</p><p>“Coming right up.” The bartender replied, and walked off.</p><p>“You still stick to the classics, I see.” Mark noted with a knowing smile.</p><p>“Some things don’t change. Though I have begun exploring more wines in recent years.” Jeff responded. “Unusual amount of service for a bar though.” He noted, tilting his head slightly.</p><p>“I tipped them generously to let us have this little area for ourselves, with some service.” Mark shrugged.</p><p>“Should have known, you always did like impressing your clients. Lots of flash. But let’s get on to why I’m here, I’m curious to hear what you have to offer.” Jeff said, already well aware of Mark’s methods of impressing people. Take them out to a fancy place, buy them food and drinks, and be nice and welcoming. If needed, Jeff would be there to talk them into it if they were stubborn.</p><p>“Right down to business huh, I like it. Same offer as last time. Partner, six figure salary, corner office reserved just for you. Offer is still on the table, what do you say?” Mark offered him, looking at him with that hopeful, expecting expression he had seen the past two times he had given Jeff that offer.</p><p>“I say the same thing as last time, I can’t take that unless you give me more information. You’ve shown me the flash, but it’s time to give me something of substance. I told you last time about what kind of fields I’d like to work in. I’m stilling willing to work with criminal defense cases, but I don’t want to deal with DUIs and those kinds of cases anymore. I want to actually help people that need that help, not people blatantly guilty that want to get off the hook. I had an interview before I came here with a different firm, and they’re already working with the kind of cases I want to take. I’m pretty sure they’re going to give me an offer, so unless you can offer me something that means something, I’ll take their offer. Stop speaking in vague terms, and lay out what you are willing to do to accommodate me.” Jeff told him harshly, slightly irritated at hearing Mark simply reiterate what he told him a week ago.</p><p>Mark quirked his eyebrow slightly at Jeff’s reaction, but didn’t seem too phased. “I’ve looked into what you said, and I believe that we do have the finances to expand into other things than just criminal law. I think, with the right marketing, that it could help us gain a better reputation in the process. I inquired about advertisement for it, and it’s something we can do no problem. We have the manpower to expand into more areas, and I personally would be interested in that too. However, it won’t be an overnight transition, so you can’t expect cases you want to fall into your lap tomorrow either.” Mark explained, offering Jeff more of what he wanted to hear.</p><p>“See, that’s better. And that brings me onto my second point. I have a job, as a professor. I have students, and responsibilities. I can’t just quit mid semester and take a new job. I likely wouldn’t be able to take a full position with your firm right now, even if I wanted to.” Jeff told him honestly, as the drinks they ordered arrived in front of them.</p><p>Mark took a sip from his drink, then spoke. “When would be the soonest you think you could get out then?” </p><p>“The absolute soonest would be after Christmas. But that still involves me quitting in the middle of the school year. Besides, I’m pretty sure I have a 3-month notice period due to the job I have. Realistically speaking though, I don’t want to bail on them in the middle of the school year. I owe them a lot, and I don’t want to put them in that position. Ideally I’d stay until the summer before taking on another full-time job.” Jeff replied, elaborating to make Mark understand why. Despite that, he could see a slight frown on Mark’s face.</p><p>“Well that’s not ideal.” Mark noted, and it was evident that he was thinking.</p><p>“Rarely is.” </p><p>Mark remained silent for a bit, running his hand through his dark hair, while Jeff studied him intently. He knew this likely wasn’t the end of it. Mark was stubborn, he knew that much. “Okay, I have an idea. We can hire you as a consultant, just until the summer. In the meantime, we start the process of expanding into the areas we talked about, slowly nudging ourselves into that field. By the time you’re ready for a full-time job, we should be ready to let you hit the ground running. Sound good?” </p><p>“Yeah, that sounds really good.” Jeff acknowledged; a bit stunned that he could offer that right on the spot. Then again, Mark was spontaneous, and seemed to really want Jeff in his firm. “Are you sure you can do that though?”</p><p>“Definitely. We have the space for that. I’ve looked into our finances extensively over the past week, and I already cleared space for a full salary for you. We can’t offer that same salary for consultancy work, obviously, but you’ll still be paid well, and then once you’re ready to step up, we go back to the original offer. Office is still all yours though, already got it prepared and ready for you. We’ll obviously need to work out the details and that kind of stuff, but does that seem interesting to you?” Mark offered with an enthusiastic expression; his lips upturned in a bright smile.</p><p>“It does. Look into that, then come back to me with a concrete offer, and I’ll think about it. I won’t make a final decision on it tonight.” Jeff replied to him, giving him a gentle smile in return.</p><p>“Okay, I’ll do that. But enough business for tonight, how about you and I just have a few drinks and catch up a little, for old times sake?” </p><p>“Sounds good.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Annie has her first day of work at the Denver FBI Forensic Department.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“How are you feeling?”</p>
<p>The voice broke her out of her from her thoughts. She’d been imagining how her day would transpire, how it would be, while they drove to Denver. Jeff was driving her to her first day of work, after insisting that she’d be spared of the pain of taking the bus or using Britta’s unreliable car until she got her own.</p>
<p>She turned around to look at Jeff, and spoke. “Nervous.” She admitted, for lack of any other way of putting it.</p>
<p>“You’re going to be okay.” Jeff attempted to reassure her.</p>
<p>“You don’t know that.” Annie countered.</p>
<p>“I do. Remember what I told you before your interview? I said that they would love you and give you the job, and they did. They really like you, Annie, just like they did in D.C. You’ll go in there, and you’ll do great, because that’s what you do. You don’t have to get everything right away; they don’t expect you to be perfect. They hired you to help out while you learn the job initially, so just look at it like that. You’re there to learn, that’s it.” Jeff expounded passionately, and with conviction.</p>
<p>“I know that. It’s just….I want to do well, you know? I’m way less qualified than anyone here, so I have to prove that I belong.” Annie replied, and smiled weakly. She could sense that he had meant what he was saying. She’d learned that, to be able to see through the Winger speeches where he just made up things that sounded fancy, but held no substance, and to be able to locate the ones he truly meant. But despite his good intentions, she wasn’t truly sure herself.</p>
<p>“And you will. Just let yourself learn first, let yourself make some mistakes.” </p>
<p>“I’ll try to remember that, thanks.” She said with a strained voice. He meant well, but it wasn’t enough to truly remove her fears. “It’s not just that, though. I know I can do a good job, I’m more worried about…everything else, you know?”</p>
<p>“Oh?”</p>
<p>“I’m just afraid I won’t fit in.” Annie added.</p>
<p>“You’ll be fine, Annie.” Jeff replied shortly.</p>
<p>“But I wasn’t <em>fine</em> in D.C.!" Annie burst out in frustration. "I was lonely, and I hated it. I’m afraid that it’ll happen again, that I’ll go there and be lonely with no friends, because I can’t seem to make any friends outside of Greendale.” </p>
<p>“Annie, you know that won’t happen again. No matter how you’ll get along with people at work, you’ll be okay. D.C. was okay before that idiot put you in an awful position, wasn’t it? And no matter what happens, you’ll have friends outside of work. I will be here for you when you’re back from work, Britta will be here for you, I don’t know if you spoke with Frankie, but she wants to be there too. Abed and Shirley too. You have friends that care about you, and I do too. You won’t be lonely again, that much I <em>can</em> promise you.” Jeff told her carefully, and she could see that he was trying to give her a reassuring smile, despite his eyes focusing on the road ahead of them.</p>
<p>Annie remained silent for a few seconds, simply taking in his words. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.” She finally told him, feeling bad that she had made him think she’d feel lonely. “I guess I’m just scared.”</p>
<p>“No, don’t be sorry. What happened to you in D.C. wasn’t nice at all. It was crappy of that piece of shit Noah, and all of his friends.” Jeff said, and Annie snorted out a slight laugh from hearing his pure hatred towards Noah. “I’m angry that they treated you like that. He put you in an awful spot, then things got awkward, yet nobody reached out to you. I should have been there more for you, as should the others. But I promise you that I won’t let you feel lonely ever again.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Jeff. I think I needed to hear that. Just classic Annie, being all overly dramatic again.” Annie sighed.</p>
<p>“Anytime, Annie. And you’re not overly dramatic, it’s completely normal. I remember when I first showed up at Hamish, Hamish &amp; Hamlin for the first time, I felt like I could hear my own pulse in my ears, like I would faint at any moment. I was there based on a massive lie; afraid they would bring me in just to reveal my secret and spit me right out again. New jobs and big changes can be scary.” </p>
<p>“I can’t imagine how that must’ve felt like.” Annie admitted.</p>
<p>“You’re feeling it right now. And when even <em>I</em> felt that way, then you would obviously feel like that too.” Jeff said, his trademark shit-eating grin appearing on his face.</p>
<p>“Ugh, just when I was starting to like you.” Annie groaned at hearing his comment.</p>
<p>“<em>Starting</em> to like me? Sounded like you liked me a lot last night.” He continued teasing.</p>
<p>Annie simply rolled her eyes at that.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“We’re here.” Jeff said as he parked the car along the sidewalk of the Denver FBI office, breaking Annie from her thoughts again.<p>“Right.” Annie replied blankly.</p>
<p>“Well, good luck in there.” Jeff offered her, turning around to smile encouragingly at her now that he didn’t have to look at the road.</p>
<p>“Thanks.” Annie returned, smiling weakly.</p>
<p>“You’ll crush them, don’t worry about it, okay?” He tried to encourage her.</p>
<p>“I’ll try. Thank you again, Jeff. It means a lot to me that you’re trying to make me feel better.” </p>
<p>“Always.” He said, and leaned forwards. She met him in the middle, and shared a chaste kiss with him. “I love you.” Jeff told her affectionately, and she could help but smile from hearing those words from his mouth.</p>
<p>“I love you too.” Annie smiled back. “I’ll you see later.” </p>
<p>“I’ll be here to pick you up when you’re done. Call me if you get out early, okay?” Jeff said as she stepped out of the car. </p>
<p>“I will.” Annie responded with smile, and shut the door to his car gently. She had learned years ago to be careful with his car doors, after he had been especially angry at Pierce for slamming the doors carelessly.</p>
<p>Annie watched as Jeff drove off towards Greendale, heading to work himself. She hoped he wouldn’t be late because of her, though she doubted he would be. The traffic would no doubt be lighter heading back to Greendale than into Denver, and even that had been without much trouble. With a tinge of nervousness, she headed towards the gate. After verifying herself, she was allowed through, and continued towards the main entrance. Once inside, she was met with the same metal detector she had been through last time. She supposed she’d have to get used to this, and quick.</p>
<p>Annie passed through it without any issues, gave the security station by the door a nod, and headed to the reception area, like she had been told to do over the information email she had received about her first day. She appreciated that email, as it took away some of the doubts and questions about her first day.</p>
<p>Annie approached the receptionist, a lady with gray hair, that appeared to be in her late 50 or early 60s. “Hi, I’m Annie Edison. It’s my first day here, and I was told I were to report here?” She said, a bit questioningly, despite having read and re-read the email that told her <em>specifically</em> to say who she was to the receptionist, who would then deal with the rest for her.</p>
<p>“Hi! I was told there would be a new person here today, it’s nice to meet you Annie.” The receptionist said warmly, far too kind for the hour of day, really.</p>
<p>“Nice to meet you too.” Annie returned, and gave her a small smile.</p>
<p>“Yes, it says here that I need to call, and someone will come down here to show you around. Just hold on.” The receptionist told Annie, while looking at her computer at what Annie assumed were some orders for the day.</p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p>The receptionist called upstairs, while Annie waited patiently, trying not to eavesdrop on their conversation.</p>
<p>“Okay, Henry will be down here in a few minutes.” The receptionist told her after hanging up the phone.</p>
<p>“Thank you. I’ll just wait over here. Have a nice day!” Annie warmly thanked her.</p>
<p>“You do that. Good luck today!” The receptionist kindly replied.</p>
<p>“Thanks!” Annie smiled, and headed towards the small sitting area of the reception. It was only her in there for now, unlike when she had arrived for her interview. That day, it had been rather busy, yet now it was eerily quiet. Likely it was too early for anyone to show up, strictly speaking it was before public opening hours as far as she knew. </p>
<p>Annie sat there in comfortable silence for a few minutes, until she heard the soft ding of an elevator reaching their floor, and the door opening. Out strolled an elderly man, likely in his 60s, whom Annie recognized from her interview. His name was Henry, and he was the head of the Forensics department.</p>
<p>Annie perked up a little, and stood up to greet him, with the man smiling as he noticed her, before walking to meet her. “Hi!” Annie excitedly greeted him, hoping she didn’t come off too intense.</p>
<p>“Hello Annie. Or do you prefer Ms. Edison?” The man politely asked in return.</p>
<p>“Annie’s okay. Henry, right?” </p>
<p>“Correct. I prefer using my first name. We try not to make it too formal around here, despite how tv shows like to portray us. I encourage everybody in the department to get to know each other on first name basis. It’s better for the group if we’re all somewhat familiar with each other. I’ve been in departments where things are overly formal and distant before, and I can’t say it was an enjoyable experience for anyone.” Henry explained to her.</p>
<p>Annie nodded in understanding. “That makes sense. I prefer that too, so I’m glad to hear that.” </p>
<p>“Now, no point standing around here. Let’s get you acquainted with your surroundings.” Henry said, and half-turned and gestured for Annie to follow. The walked towards the elevator, and Annie followed. “I assume you met the receptionist? Her name is Carol. She’s worked here for years, so I’m sure you’ll be familiar with her soon.”</p>
<p>“I hope so, she seemed nice.” Annie agreed, as they stepped into the elevator. “By the way, can I ask you something?”</p>
<p>“Go right ahead.” </p>
<p>“I’m a bit surprised that you’re the one giving me the tour, since you’re the head of the department. Why didn’t you ask someone else to do it?” Annie asked, tilting her head a bit.</p>
<p>“Astute observation. I could have asked someone else to do it, but I prefer to do it myself. I want to get to know the people I work with. I believe that we’re all a bit different, people prefer different things, so me giving you this tour also helps me get to know you in a more relaxed way than a job interview would.” Henry explained to her, chuckling a bit at the comment.</p>
<p>“I see.”</p>
<p>Before Henry could say any more, the ding of the elevator signaled that they had arrived at their floor. “This is our floor.” Henry began saying as they stepped out. “Fourth floor, everything here belongs to the forensics department, so this is where you’ll be spending most of your time.”</p>
<p>Annie looked out over the room, and it looked much like the one she had gotten familiar with in D.C. She was met with what on the surface looked like your average corporate landscape, with offices for the scientists and other higher-ranking forensic positions, and a smaller area with cubicles she assumed was for other assistants and others that didn’t get their own office. Further in, she could see a door leading to what likely was the lab area of the floor, kept separate from the rest by a door to avoid contamination. “Looks nice.” Annie commented.</p>
<p>“To the left, you see the offices. That’s where the scientists usually spend their time when they’re not in the labs. Right in front of us here you have the assistant’s workstations. Here, follow me.” Henry told her, and started walking. Annie obediently followed him, and they walked into the workstation area. They walked around a corner, and a bit down the row, before Henry finally stopped. </p>
<p>“This is your workspace.” Henry said, and gestured to it. It had a desk, a computer, and what looked like a few manuals, and it looked comfortably spacious enough for a person without feeling cramped. <em>And</em> it had a name sign on the desk. It read <em>Annie Edison, Forensic Assistant</em>. </p>
<p>“Oh wow.” Annie commented, and she couldn’t help but smile a little at seeing the sign. She had a sign in D.C. too, but it said that she was an intern. Now she had a job, a permanent job with a clear pathway she could follow. She had a future. “It looks great. Lots of space.”</p>
<p>“Hard for anyone to work effectively if they don’t have space. We tried to design it so that people have enough space to move within their own closed off area, without being completely shut off from everybody else.” Henry elaborated for her. </p>
<p>“I think I’m going to like this place.” Annie said with a happy smile on her face. </p>
<p>“I hope you do. We’ll get you set up within the day. I’ll get IT to help you out with the computer, it’s not really my field.” Henry said, returning a warm smile. “But for now, we’ll continue the tour.”</p>
<p>“Ah, giving the new person a tour, Henry?” A voice called out. Annie turned around, and noticed a man heading towards them. He looked fairly young, around her age, average height and with neatly kept brown hair and a blazer. </p>
<p>“Yes, this is our newest forensics assistant, Annie.” Henry told the man, then turned back around to Annie. “Annie, this is Mason. He’s another assistant, who’s been here a little while now.” </p>
<p>“Permanently for two months now.” Mason clarified. “Hi, nice to meet you.” He said, reaching out his hand to Annie.</p>
<p>Annie shook his hand politely, and gave him a friendly smile. “Nice to meet you too.” </p>
<p>“Seems you’ll be my new workstation-buddy then.” Mason told her with an upturned, welcoming smile. Annie tilted her head slightly at the comment, a bit confused. “My desk is right here, behind yours.” He clarified, and walked over to his desk, putting down bag.</p>
<p>“Oh, right. I guess you’re right then.” Annie said, and laughed a bit at herself for not realizing what he had meant.</p>
<p>“I’m sure you two will get well acquainted soon. Now, let’s continue the tour, shall we?” Henry interrupted them to say. Annie simply nodded in response.</p>
<p>“See you around, Annie.” Mason said as her and Henry started to walk off. Annie politely nodded with a slight smile on her face as she followed Henry. </p>
<p>They walked into the office area, before they stopped by a door. “This where most of the scientists have their offices. You’ll be assigned to Cameron, let’s see if he’s around.” Henry said, and knocked on the door. The offices had glass walls out to the other offices, but had blinders that could be pulled down, presumably for a little privacy. Thanks to said blinders they had no clue if this Cameron person was there or not.</p>
<p>“Come in!” A voice called out from within the room, and Henry opened the door and stepped inside.</p>
<p>“Good morning Cameron, I’d like you to meet your new assistant.” Henry told the man, introducing her to him.</p>
<p>“Hi, nice to meet you. I’m Annie Edison.” Annie said politely, reaching out her hand to shake his.</p>
<p>“Cameron Jones, but you can call me Cam. Nice to meet you Annie.” Cameron returned respectfully, and shook her hand firmly. “Why don’t you two sit down, and we can talk for a bit?” </p>
<p>“Sure.” Annie smiled, and looked over at Henry for confirmation. Henry nodded, and grabbed a chair from the corner of the room, while Annie took the one already placed across from Cameron. Annie sat down on the chair, and straightened her back a little to not sit too slouched. She wanted to look confident, mature, like she belonged here. But not too casual either. </p>
<p>“I assume Henry here is giving you the introductory tour of the office?” Cam asked once they had both grabbed a seat.</p>
<p>“Yes, I think that’s what it is.” Annie nodded, studying him intently. He looked like he was in his early 30s, moderately built, and slightly above average height. His pitch-black hair stuck out, as did his short and neatly trimmed beard, making him look fairly unique among the rest.</p>
<p>“It’s important to get to know people, Cam. Hard to keep people happy if you don’t know them at all.” Henry commented, with an air of wisdom. It was evident that he had been around a long time, and had a very clear idea about how he wanted to do things. </p>
<p>“True, true. It’s good we have you around here, Henry. Place works a lot better when a guy like you runs it. Can’t say I miss the old boss.” Cam said, trailing off into details which flew right past Annie.</p>
<p>“Now, now. Let’s not dig into the past, I imagine Annie here doesn’t have a clue what you are talking about.” Henry said, seemingly bringing Cam back to the current day.</p>
<p>“Right. Well, I’ve read your file Annie, and I’m really looking forward to working with you. You went to Greendale Community College, right?” Cam asked her.</p>
<p>“I did.” Annie confirmed shortly, unsure of where Cam was going with this.</p>
<p>“Would you happen to know of a Leonard?” Cam asked, and Annie suddenly tilted her head a bit, raising an eyebrow at the unexpected question.</p>
<p>“I do know a Leonard from Greendale, but are you sure it’s the same one?” She asked in return.</p>
<p>“Old guy, pretty weird. Changed his surname to Rodriguez a few years ago, for whatever reason.” Cam elaborated.</p>
<p>“Yes!” Annie exclaimed; her eyes wide in shock. “That’s the one! How do you know him?”</p>
<p>“He’s my grandpa on mom’s side. I don’t know him that well since mom rarely speaks with him, but I know he’s been at Greendale for years by now.”</p>
<p>“Small world, huh.” Annie said, mildly shocked by the piece of info she had just learned.</p>
<p>“It really is. But it says you interned with the FBI in D.C., how was that?” Cam moved on to ask.</p>
<p>“It was very interesting. I learned a lot there, felt like I was starting to get a good grasp of the job by the time my internship was over.” She replied calmly.</p>
<p>Cam nodded approvingly. “That’s good to hear. The quicker we can get you up to speed, the better. You’re also taking some extra classes on the side, is that correct?” </p>
<p>“I am. I’m taking those on my days off though, and I’ll give you my schedule so you know when I’m available.” Annie said matter-of-factly.</p>
<p>Cam grinned, wagging his finger in approval. “I <em>like</em> this one. How’d you find her, Henry?” </p>
<p>Henry chuckled a bit. “Now that’s quite the funny story. She applied for a job here, and got quite lucky with timing, really. We were going to starting searching for a new assistant for you, and then she popped up before we even asked for any. I called up the D.C. office, and they gave her one of the better recommendations I’ve heard. Said that she’s punctual, organized, passionate and friendly, and that they couldn’t recommend her enough. It was so glowing that I couldn’t fathom why they didn’t hire her, but he said they simply didn’t have space to take on more, and that they hadn’t hired any of the interns for that reason. We interviewed her and it confirmed all of it, so here we are. Didn’t even bother asking for other applicants in the end. So really, a stroke of luck.”</p>
<p>“Not bad. Well I’m sure you’ll be a big success here then.” Cam told Annie.</p>
<p>“I hope so too.” Annie replied; her chin raised a bit higher from hearing the positive words from Henry.</p>
<p>Suddenly, they heard a knock on the door. “Come in!” Cam exclaimed.</p>
<p>In walked a woman, with fairly short, blonde hair that barely reached her shoulders. “Cam, I was just wondering about the-“ she said as she opened the door, before her eyes caught onto the other two people sitting in the room, looking at her. “Oh, am I intruding on something? I’ll come back later.” </p>
<p>“No, not at all. Emily, this is Annie, the new forensic assistant.” Cam said.</p>
<p>“Hi, nice to meet you!” Annie said, and stood up so she could shake the woman’s hand.</p>
<p>“Likewise, it’s good to see some more new faces around here. Don’t be fooled by the façade, Cam’s actually pretty nice. I’m sure you’ll enjoy working with him.” Emily told her, and shook her hand lightly. </p>
<p>“I’ll be nice, I promise.” Cam interjected to say.</p>
<p>“Either way, we should get going to get you an ID, Annie. We’ll let those two talk, you’ll get to know them more later.” Henry said calmly as he stood up, clearly the more relaxed presence in the room. </p>
<p>“Okay.” Annie said with a nod. </p>
<p>“See you later Annie! Oh, and remember to get a parking pass!” Emily advised.</p>
<p>“Yes, that’s good advice. Oh, stop by here after your tour is done, if you have time.” Cam added.</p>
<p>“Okay, I’ll do that. Thanks for the advice.” Annie said, then moved to catch up with Henry, who was waiting by the door for her.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“This is the main lab. As I’m sure you’re aware, this is where most forensic evidence is studied and analyzed. We have a second lab as a backup, but it’s more scarcely used. We have all the equipment you can imagine here, some of which you may be familiar with. If there’s any you don’t know, make sure to let us know so we can teach you as soon as possible.” Henry explained, with Annie nodding in understanding as they walked around.<p>The tour had been pretty nice so far. Henry had given her a good amount of information, showed where everything of importance was, and she had already met a handful of her new co-workers. Everybody so far had been so incredibly welcoming to her, which made her feel really happy. She’d been afraid of ending up alone at work, but seeing how sweet people her were to her already had alleviated her fears a bit. </p>
<p>“Now, we have some business on a different floor. We need to get you an ID, and as Emily mentioned, you should get a parking pass while you’re at it. It’ll let you pass through the employee gate for cars, and will let you park either outside or in the underground garage.” Henry said as they headed out of the lab.</p>
<p>“I don’t have a car yet, but I’m in the process of getting one. I’ll get the pass and have it on hand until then.” Annie commented.</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t a problem as long as you have a license. How did you get here today anyway?” </p>
<p>“My boyfriend drove me. I’ve also checked the bus times, but it’s best I get a car again. I used to have one before I went to D.C., but it was in horrible shape, so I scrapped it instead of letting it stay unused for two months.” Annie explained, giving some additional context to him.</p>
<p>“I see. Makes sense, there’s no use holding onto a car if it’s scrap-worthy and you’re away for a while. You’ll be able to afford one soon.” </p>
<p>“That’s the plan. Get something temporary, then upgrade later if possible.” Annie agreed. “By the way, isn’t the elevator the other side of the building?</p>
<p>“There’s a second one on this side. Big building after all.” </p>
<p>Annie hummed in understanding. “Makes sense.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>After having taken a picture for her ID and asked for a parking license, Annie and Henry headed back upstairs, where Annie returned to her new workstation. Soon after, IT came to help her out with setting up her PC. She was by no means a slouch with pc’s, she could easily use one and fix minor issues if need be, but she assumed that there were specific things IT wanted to set up for her, so she let them do their job. Annie got a detailed explanation about the various systems they used, and she nodded knowingly, while also writing a bit down on a piece of paper. She cursed herself slightly for not bringing a notepad, but she planned to bring one to write down any useful things she could possibly need the next day, including all she had just written down.<p>Once IT had left and she had taken note of all the useful things she had learned so far, Annie decided to head off to Cam’s office, as she had promised. As the blinders were still pulled down, she decided to knock. </p>
<p>“Come in.” Cam called from inside the office, and Annie stepped inside.  </p>
<p>“Hey.” Annie greeted as she peeked inside.</p>
<p>“Oh, Annie. Come in, take a seat.” Cam said, and she could see his features relaxing a bit as he saw her.</p>
<p>“You said you wanted to speak with me?” </p>
<p>“Yes, I felt like it’s important that we get to know each other. We’ll be working together, so it’s important that we’re comfortable.”</p>
<p>“I agree.” Annie said, unsure of where to really begin the conversation.</p>
<p>“I wanted to ask you about why you decided to work within forensics. It’s not the most common education after all.” </p>
<p>“Ehm. I don’t know, really. I originally graduated with a healthcare management major, and started working for a pharmaceutical company. But I didn’t like it, and decided to re-enroll after a…friend of mine got me and the rest of our study group return to Greendale since neither of us were happy elsewhere. I switched to Forensics, which I had considered a year earlier. And I ended up liking it a lot.” Annie explained, recalling the painful memories of the half a year and summer after Jeff graduated early, when the group spun off unsuccessfully.</p>
<p>“That’s interesting. Why didn’t you like healthcare management? What makes you like forensics better?”</p>
<p>“Forensics is interesting, allows me to help do good for society, figure out stuff, analyze and think. In my old job I was just a glorified customer rep, selling pens and the sort of stuff that screwed up high school for me. It felt like I was just in the wrong place. It was some stupid idea I got after I couldn’t do medicine, since that’s what my mom always wanted me to do. I ended up doing the closest thing I could do after what I did last year of high school. Healthcare management just wasn’t <em>me</em>; you know? But forensics just feels right, I feel like I’m in the place I should be now.” </p>
<p>“Hm. I suppose it’s better to do something you’re comfortable with, than forcing yourself down a path you don’t like. But you mentioned something happened in high school. I read your case file, since you were going to be assigned to me. Apologies if I’m coming off a bit direct here, but you overdosed, is that right?” Cam queried, and Annie’s breath hitched for just a second. Her eyes widened, though she wasn’t surprised about it coming up. She had been open about it in the interview, Henry and the other interviewer knew, as did they in D.C. But it was no less comfortable to talk about it, especially when she wasn’t the one bringing it up. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” Cam added, seeming apologetic.</p>
<p>“No, it’s okay.” Annie said weakly. “I got addicted to Adderall in high school, to do better in school. Mom wanted me to be a doctor, like I said, so I knew I had to do well in school. It started off small, and then I did more and more. But at some point, I just…snapped. I went to rehab and finished high school over the summer. Mom kicked me out, so I moved to Greendale and started community college there. I’ve been clean ever since then, and I’ve got friends and a boyfriend who I can rely on.”</p>
<p>Cam put on a tight-lipped smile, looking apologetic about it all. “That sounds rough. I’m glad to hear that you got over it. I won’t hold it against you, just so that’s clear. We’ve all screwed up at some point, and I think we all deserve second chances. I’m glad that you got yours, Annie.” </p>
<p>Annie smiled, mostly out of pure relief. “Thank you, Cam. That’s very sweet of you. Just promise me that you won’t tell it to anyone around the office, okay? I don’t want to hide my past, but I want that to be my own thing to tell people, if that’s okay.”</p>
<p>“I won’t tell anyone, I promise. You deserve to let your work do the talking, just like anyone else here. Just between you and me, I cheated on a bunch of tests last semester in high school. Likely wouldn’t have gotten in to the college I wanted without it. I learned quickly in college that my work ethic, or lack thereof, would get me absolutely nowhere. So, I got my shit together, sorry for the language, and here I am. Point is, I was young and dumb. You were young and dumb. We did things we shouldn’t have, but I overcame mine, and you overcame yours. So, I promise, I won’t hold any of it against you.” Cam explained, and Annie instantly felt less tense. She couldn’t believe her luck, really. Henry had decided to hire her despite her past issues and less prestigious school, and now the guy she’d be working directly under was equally supportive too. </p>
<p>“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Annie cheerfully said. “You have no idea how much that means to me.”</p>
<p>“Of course. But I also wanted to talk about how you like to work, how you do things. You said you’d send me your schedule, and Henry said you’re very organized, so I take it that you like to plan things?” </p>
<p>“You could….say that.” Annie said, not wanting to come off too intense regarding her planning. “I like to have a plan, if possible. I find it easier to work that way.”</p>
<p>“I’m not much of a planner or organizer myself, but I liked how my last assistant did things.” Cam admitted with a smile and a little shrug.</p>
<p>“And how did they do things?” Annie asked, figuring it could be useful to know how her predecessor worked, since Cam appeared to be happy with that person.</p>
<p>“She used to go through the files and categorize them alphabetically, and color coded the files based on case type. She left an instruction on that somewhere, I think. I tried keeping it up, but I ended up making a bit of a mess of it. Oh, and she had a very comprehensive calendar so I knew when she was at work and not. Like, you, it seems.” </p>
<p>“Oh, that shouldn’t be too hard. If you can find the color-coding chart, then I can get right to reorganizing it if you want?” Annie offered.</p>
<p>Cam rummaged a bit around in his desk drawers, seemingly looking for it. “I don’t think it’s here. Wait right here, I’ll go and ask her.” </p>
<p>Annie watched as Cam got up from his chair and walked off, seemingly heading further down the hallway. Obediently, she stood where she was, despite her curiosity about who his former assistant was. A few minutes later, Cam came strolling back inside. </p>
<p>“Here, she wrote down a new list for you. Keep it.” Cam said, and offered her a post-it-note with some instructions on it.</p>
<p>“Oh, okay. Thanks. I’ll get right to it.” </p>
<p>“Actually, would you like to come to lunch with me? It’ll be me and a few others, interested?” Cam offered.</p>
<p>“Sure! I’d love to.” Annie gleefully agreed, happy she could get to know some people on her first day.</p>
<p>“Great, we thought we’d go right now. It’s a small café nearby.” </p>
<p>“Uhm, I’m not sure I should have lunch outside of the building. I don’t have an ID yet.” Annie hesitated.</p>
<p>“You’ll be fine. Just stick with us and we’ll verify that you’re with us. Worst case we call Henry and he’ll verify you.” </p>
<p>“Okay.” Annie hesitantly agreed. “I’ll go get my coat. Meet you at the elevator?”</p>
<p>“Sure.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“Hey guys, sorry we’re late.” Cam said as he made eye contact with his lunchmates.<p>“We?” One of them asked. At that moment, Annie came strolling in the door. “Oh. Hey Annie!”</p>
<p>“Hi Emily!” Annie smiled, happy to see the seemingly friendly woman again.</p>
<p>“Hey there Annie.” A man said.</p>
<p>“Mason, you’re here too?” Annie asked, finding it somewhat incredible that three of the few people she had been introduced to were present together.</p>
<p>“Yup. Gotta have some lunch.” Mason said with a little shrug.</p>
<p>Annie and Cam sat down, with Cam sitting down alongside Emily, leaving Annie alongside Mason.</p>
<p>“Hope you don’t mind, I invited her so she can get to know some people.” Cam told Emily.</p>
<p>“Oh, not at all. I invite Mason to our lunches quite often after all.” Emily told Cam, then turned to Annie. “By the way, did you understand my note? I wrote a bit too quickly.”</p>
<p>Annie’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh, you were Cam’s assistant?” She asked, a bit surprised by the revelation.</p>
<p>“Mhm. I was up until a few months ago.” Emily confirmed. “I used to do all of the organizing stuff for him. So, if you ever need some advice on how to handle him, don’t hesitate to ask.”</p>
<p>“Hey, I’m not <em>that</em> bad.” Cam scoffed.</p>
<p>“You <em>are</em>. You have no system, it’s all random.” Emily said, and laughed at him. “You’re pretty great when you actually find the right file right away instead of spending an hour to find it though.”</p>
<p>“Your note was fine, Emily.” Annie interrupted their jabs to say. “But can I ask you something, Cam?”</p>
<p>“Sure, go ahead.” Cam said.</p>
<p>“If Emily got promoted, why didn’t they give you a new assistant right away?” Annie asked Cam.</p>
<p>“Oh, they were going to. But I told them that they should prioritize getting Emily one, since she’d be new to the scientist position. Ease the transition a bit, instead of throwing her in at the deep end.” Cam explained.</p>
<p>“And they agreed. It was really nice of him.” Emily said, smiling warmly at Cam. “And that’s where Mason here comes in. He’s my little helper.” She giggled, pushing Mason’s shoulder lightly.</p>
<p>“Well, now I’m not the newest one anymore, <em>finally</em>.” Mason said, raising his arms in what appeared to be a mix of relief and joy at the end.</p>
<p>“Well that sounds promising.” Annie replied nervously, contorting her mouth into a tight smile.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, us new ones have to stick together. I’ve got you. Especially since you’re my workstation-buddy now.” Mason said, and smiled warmly at Annie.</p>
<p>“Oh, you two have got your stations right by each other? That’s perfect, me and Cam often work together on bigger projects, so it’s great that you two will get familiar too!” Emily said happily.</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s actually quite practical.” Cam agreed.</p>
<p>After ordering their lunch, the group chatted amongst themselves about their respective work lives. Annie introduced herself more properly to Emily and Mason, while Emily and Mason told more about themselves. Annie learned that Emily was 28, and had graduated from UCLA with an undergraduate degree in Anthropology, before re-enrolling after a year of scarce local job search. She had then finished up her degree as a Criminal Psychologist, and had then been offered the same position Annie now held, before moving on to become a full Scientist earlier this year.</p>
<p>Mason on the other hand was fresh out of school like Annie, and was a local in Denver. He had an undergraduate’s degree in criminology, and had gotten an internship with the FBI. After it went well, he had been offered a position as a forensic assistant while he continued his studies. He was further away from finishing than Annie, due to the massive number of classes Annie had taken at Greendale, but they were content to keep him on. </p>
<p>“So, Annie, how was it in D.C.?” Mason suddenly asked as they stepped out of the café. </p>
<p>“It was very interesting. Cool to be out of state, experience new things. Learned a lot there, but I also realized that I belong here.” </p>
<p>“Here like in Denver?” </p>
<p>“No, like, the general area. I live in Greendale, where all my friends are.” Annie clarified.</p>
<p>“How is Greendale anyway?” Emily suddenly interrupted them to ask.</p>
<p>“Quiet, usually. Campus was very lively, but the place itself is quiet and calm. Which is fine by me.” Annie replied.</p>
<p>“Considered moving to Denver? You’d be closer to work.” Mason asked.</p>
<p>“Ehm, I don’t know. I like living where I am right now. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll stay there, but I don’t really want to live in the city. I tried that in D.C., but it gets too cramped for me. I like the extra space and safe neighborhood.” </p>
<p>“I mean, you could get a bigger apartment by saving the money spent on having a car and taking the bus to work.” Mason continued suggestion.</p>
<p>“Alright, let’s not be too pushy, Mason. If she likes it where she is, then she should be allowed to live there.” Emily said, and Annie mouthed a silent thank you to her.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>They headed back to the office, where Annie, as Cam predicted, had no trouble getting inside with his and Emily’s verification. Annie started re-sorting Cam’s file locker after that, which turned out to be a more demanding task than she had expected. Emily had explained earlier that he often made a bit of a mess, but Annie didn’t realize just how completely random his files had been sorted. In the end, she ended up taking out every single file, sorting them from the ground up. After that, she ran the ones that weren’t color-coded by Cam, and coded them correctly for him.<p>“Okay, I’m done.” Annie said, and released a heavy breath. </p>
<p>“Wow.” Cam exclaimed. “You’re a hero, Annie. I have no idea how you just did that.”</p>
<p>“I have my ways.” Annie said proudly.</p>
<p>“Yeah, wow, you don’t say.” Cam chuckled. “Come here, I’ll show you something.”</p>
<p>Annie walked over to Cam’s desk, and stood behind him as he sat on his laptop</p>
<p>“Look at these pictures. It’s from a fire in a restaurant not too far from here. Police concluded that it was due to faulty wiring and an accident, but I’m not completely sure.” Cam said, and moved aside so Annie could look at it.</p>
<p>Annie studied the pictures intently, scrolling through them for a few minutes. “Okay so, I think I can see signs of a fire starting from what looks like a socket, but look at this area here.” She said, and pointed underneath the socket.</p>
<p>“What do you see?” Cam asked.</p>
<p>“It doesn’t look like an electrical fire. It looks like someone set fire to something connected to the socket, making the socket look burnt and like it was the source of the fire. There’s a heavy scorch mark right underneath the socket.” Annie explained.</p>
<p>“That’s <em>exactly</em> what I thought too. Thanks for confirming that I wasn’t just seeing what I wanted to see.” Cam said, then stood up from his chair. “I’m going to run it past Emily, if she agrees too, I’m going to ask to look at the place in person. I’m not buying that this was an accident.” He continued then walked out of the room with his laptop in hand. Annie watched him walk off, smiling giddily.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>In all, Annie felt like her first day had been a good one. She had met some people, the scientist she’d been assigned with seemed nice, and her boss was as nice now as he was during her interview. She had gone to collect her new ID and parking license before heading out for the day, and had a nice chat with Henry about her first day. She told him about her positive interactions with Cameron, Emily and Mason, which seemed to please him. Tomorrow, she’d be checking out a suspicious looking supposedly electrical fire. And now she could see Jeff approaching in his Lexus. <em>Was it freshly washed?</em> She’d have to ask him, but she couldn’t help but think that it looked shinier. In all, life was shining pretty brightly for Annie Edison. She would be fine.
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Now, this chapter had quite a few new characters to get acquianted with at once, so here's a few quick notes about the ones seen so far:</p>
<p>Henry: Head of the Forensics Department, in his 60s, interviewed Annie before she got the job<br/>Cameron: Forensic Scientist, early 30's<br/>Emily: Forensic Scientist, 28, previously Cameron's assistant<br/>Mason: Forensic Assistant, 25, has a workstation right by Annie's, is Emily's assistant</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Britta struggles with her studies, and Jeff is unsure about which job offer he wants to accept. Annie gives them both some helpful advice.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ugh, this is impossible.”</p><p>“Come on Britta, it’s not <em>that</em> bad.” Annie encouraged, rubbing the older woman’s back comfortingly with one hand as she smiled gently at her. They were both sitting by their dining table, with Britta working on her psychology assignment with Annie’s help.</p><p>“It <em>is</em>, this suuuucks. I'm not some kind of super genius like you.” Britta groaned.</p><p>“I thought things were going better at school for you?”</p><p>“They are, Duncan is far better than that lousy professor I had before he came back again. But that doesn’t make psychology any easier.” </p><p>“A compliment for Duncan, that’s a rare one.” Annie giggled.</p><p>Britta sighed as she sat there with her hand pushed against her cheek, a look of resignation on her face. “He’s the one that made me declare for my psychology major, you know? I took his introduction class before I decided, and I loved it. But then he left right before I declared, and I ended up just having two years of classes with a professor who taught us nothing. And I’m no good at this studying thing. I understand what’s explained in class, but just reading it in the book does nothing for me.” </p><p>“Why don’t you ask him to help you then? I’m sure he’s willing to help you.” Annie suggested.</p><p>“Are you serious? You know Duncan, he doesn’t do anything useful outside of class that doesn’t involve drinking and soccer, or ‘<em>footie</em>’ as he calls it.” Britta countered, rolling her eyes dramatically at the suggestion.</p><p>“He’ll do it for you.” Annie replied instantly.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“He likes you, Britta. If you ask him, he’ll do it, I guarantee it.” </p><p>“He likes me?” Britta asked, finally turning her face away from the book to face Annie.</p><p>“Yeah, he likes you. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed?” Annie asked in return, holding back a slight giggle at Britta’s ignorance.</p><p>Britta scoffed, looking at Annie like she had said the most incredulous thing ever. “He’s just being nice.” </p><p>“Yeah, he’s being nice, but <em>only</em> to you.” </p><p>Britta simply scoffed at that, again.</p><p>Annie took her turn to roll her eyes at Britta, then spoke again. “Look, he likes you, trust me. So just ask him if he can help you out outside of class and he will.”</p><p>“I don’t want to exploit him just because he <em>likes</em> me or whatever.”</p><p>“Britta, if the teacher likes you, use it. It’s not cheating, you’re just…. asking for some extra advice.” Annie said, and smiled encouragingly. </p><p>“Fine, I’ll think about it. Can we just continue now?” Britta said with a tinge of exasperation in her voice.</p><p>“Yes. I’m leaving in half an hour though, just so you know.” </p><p>“Okay.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>There was a knock on the door, startling them both momentarily, before Annie got up to get it.<p>“Hey there gorgeous.” Jeff lovingly greeted as Annie opened up the door.</p><p>Annie didn’t respond, and instead tip-toed up to give him a quick, innocent kiss on the lips. After letting go, she stood there and just smiled happily at him. “Hi handsome.”</p><p>From inside the apartment, they heard a gagging sound. “Get a room!” Britta called out, pointing her finger down her mouth and making exaggerated puking movements.</p><p>“We’re working on it, buzzkill.” Jeff groaned, staring daggers at Britta, who just stuck out her tongue to mock him.</p><p>“Stop it you two.” Annie commanded, and both Britta and Jeff stopped taunting each other to look at her. “I’m going to get my stuff.”</p><p>“Okay.” Jeff said, then Annie strolled further inside the apartment to go to her room. Seeing no reason to just stand around awkwardly, Jeff headed inside to talk with Britta. “How’s it going?” He asked as he sat down across from her.</p><p>“Going okay. School’s rough. Annie suggested I ask Duncan to help me out.” </p><p>“Isn’t he your professor?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“He is, but I don’t know if he’ll agree to help, you know how he is.” Britta said, scrunching up her nose slightly. “Can you help me get him to help me?”</p><p>“Okay, that was a mouthful.” </p><p>“Jerk.”</p><p>Jeff rolled his eyes at her again, then sighed. “Fine. If you want to get near Duncan, offer him a drink or to lend your tv to watch sports. <em>But</em>, he likes you, so just asking him straight up will most likely also work.”</p><p>At that moment, Annie came out of her room. “Just ask him, Britta.” She chimed in with, having overheard the conversation.</p><p>“Do you remember that charity event he and you got all of us to join early last year?” Jeff asked Britta.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“The only reason he even suggested that, was because he asked me earlier that day to help him ‘seduce’ you.” Jeff admitted. “Damn, that felt good to finally admit.”</p><p>“WHAT!?” Britta exclaimed loudly, her normally blue eyes covered by dilated, blown pupils, with her nostrils flaring. “You helped Duncan try to <em>seduce</em> me!?”</p><p>“I didn’t mean it like that. He asked me because he didn’t think I was seeing you, and I wasn’t. I just told him how he could impress you, that’s it. And he didn’t end up doing it, he just brought you home and then returned to drink with me.” Jeff explained to Britta, still remaining calm on the outside. Annie however noticed that he was clenching his hand repeatedly under the table, which she had seen him do when he was getting stressed.</p><p>“Ugh, men! Just passing me off like I’m some prize. You’re <em>pigs</em>.” Britta snarled at Jeff. </p><p>“Britta, I didn’t mean it like that. I just gave him my blessing and advice since he practically begged me. He didn’t need my permission, but he was nice enough to ask anyway so I wouldn’t get hurt.” Jeff tried to explain, but Britta was still scowling at him.</p><p>Annie cleared her throat, catching both of their attention. “I think what Jeff was trying to say, is that Duncan likes you. You don’t need any fancy reason, just ask him and he’ll probably do it because of that.”</p><p>“Yes, but I can’t get over that Jeff actually <em>helped</em> him.” Britta groaned.</p><p>“They’re friends, Britta. And he’s not that bad when he’s sober.” Annie tried to explain.</p><p>Jeff mouthed a silent thank you to Annie while Britta’s eyes were trained on her, to which Annie offered him a tight-lipped, understanding smile. </p><p>Britta caught on to the silent interaction, looking between them for a second, before deciding to speak anyway. “I know he’s not, but it’s the principle. You just don’t do that, I’m not some disgusting piece of meat they can pass off whenever they want to.”</p><p>“Look, I’m sorry Britta. I shouldn’t have done it, and it won’t happen again.” Jeff said, looking right at Britta, who smiled weakly.</p><p>“Thank you. Was that so hard?” Britta retorted with.</p><p>“Britta!” Annie said frustratedly. “He’s being nice. He came clean to you and apologized, so just be nice, okay?”</p><p>Britta dramatically rolled her eyes at Annie, then turned around to Jeff again. “<em>Fine</em>. Thank you for your honesty and apology, Jeff.” She said with a mocking, sarcastic tone.</p><p>“You’re welcome. Sorry for taking so long to tell you.” Jeff added, ignoring her tone.</p><p>“Ehm, anyway. Are you only bringing your backpack? Doesn’t even look like there’s anything in it.” Britta asked Annie, who stood there with her backpack on. She had long since changed out of her work attire and into a slightly more comfortable jeans and hoodie combination. Jeff noted to himself that the combination of the hoodie and the well-strapped on backpack made her look like an odd combination between the Annie he met his first year at Greendale, and the more relaxed version he had seen in later years, but he still found the look of her absolutely adorable.</p><p>“It’s my laptop and books.” Annie clarified.</p><p>Britta tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at Annie. “No clothes?” </p><p>“I don’t need to bring more clothes; I already have a lot there.” Annie said, then put on a bright smile before heading over to stand beside Jeff.</p><p>Jeff grinned widely at her comment, and smiled up her. “I washed your clothes earlier; everything should be clean now.”</p><p>“Aw, thank you!” Annie said giddily, and leaned down to give him a kiss, full well knowing what Britta likely would have some reaction to their affectionate moment. </p><p>But to their surprise, Britta didn’t say anything about the kiss, nor did she make any exaggerated gestures or noises. Britta simply shook her head with a small smile on her face. “Jeff Winger being a good boyfriend, who would have thought?”</p><p>“What?” Jeff said, slightly confused by the comment.</p><p>“You guys are cute together.” Britta said, and smiled warmly. “I’m glad you two ended up together, despite everything.”</p><p>“Aw, thank you Britta!” Annie said, and let go of Jeff’s head to go give Britta a warm embrace.</p><p>They held on to each other for a little bit, both of them smiling happily, before they let go of each other. Jeff didn’t even think to interrupt them, glad to see the two of them getting along. A few minutes later, after bidding Britta farewell, Jeff and Annie left the apartment to head over to Jeff’s place.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“How was the first week of work?” Jeff asked Annie as they placed the dishes into the dishwasher. They had enjoyed a calm dinner together after leaving 303, and now didn’t really have any particular plans for the night.<p>“Uhm, it’s been good, I think. I haven’t really done much yet, I’ve mostly just helped sort files and brought stuff for Cam, and watched him work.” </p><p>“Who’s Cam?” Jeff asked, realizing he didn’t know any of her co-workers by name.</p><p>“He’s my boss. Or, well, he’s not actually my boss, but he’s the scientist I’ve been assigned to help. Henry wants me to learn the job while I assist Cam with things. It’s apparently the normal procedure there, since the job takes some settling into.” Annie explained with a strain in her voice as she jammed a glass into the upper area of the dishwasher. Seeing how she struggled to get it in there, Jeff made a note to himself to get it fixed so you could pull out the upper area as it was supposed to.</p><p>Once Annie had put in her glass, Jeff placed in the washing tablet and started the machine as Annie sat down on the couch. Jeff followed her shortly thereafter, and sat down beside her. “This Cam guy, how is he?”</p><p>Annie turned to face Jeff, and put down her phone. “He seems nice. He’s a bit disorganized though, so I spend a lot of time trying to organize his work. But it also lets me read through his files, which is really helpful. We went to check out a fire a few times this week. He asked me for my opinion on it based on some pictures on Monday, and the we checked it out on Tuesday. It’s difficult because the place is scorched, but we think we’ve found signs that the fire was started intentionally.” Annie explained, recalling a bit of the previous week’s events at work.</p><p>“That’s great Annie! It’s great that he’s involved you in his work already. You’ll get to the bottom of that fire together. Hopefully he isn’t too messy though, I know you don’t like that.”</p><p>“It’s okay. It’s nothing I can’t handle after living with Troy and Abed, or Britta for that matter. But it’s really nice to be here, it’s always clean and nice.” Annie said, trailing off from work talk. “But Cam doesn’t seem that messy in the lab, so that helps. It’s just his files that are a mess. But as long as he lets me read them, I don’t mind organizing them properly.”</p><p>“I’ll try to keep it clean for you.” Jeff commented, his face sporting a nervous smile.</p><p>Annie narrowed her eyes at him slightly, noting his nervous expression. “How clean was it here before we started, you know? I hope you’re not just doing this for me?” </p><p>“Sometimes clean, sometimes it wasn’t. Usually I like to keep the place clean and organized, but it got a bit messy periodically, if I didn’t feel like doing it. But I don’t mind keeping it neat here, I like it this way. Last time I didn’t have the motivation was when you told me about the job interview in Arizona.” Jeff said, his face dropping a bit from the memory.</p><p>“Oh.” Annie said, her eyes widening from the realization of what he meant. “Well, just know that I really appreciate it a lot. I feel at home here with you, you know?”</p><p>Jeff looked up, and smiled weakly at her. His eyes were watery, though he hadn’t been crying. “I’m glad you do.”</p><p>“You know, I thought a lot about how it would be to live with you. I was afraid I would cramp your style or something, that you wouldn’t like having me over.” Annie admitted, trying to keep the mood a bit light.</p><p>Jeff took her hands in his, and spoke. “You didn’t. It’s not like I have people over often anyway, and having you here has been great. I love having you over, talking with you, doing things with you. It’s what I look forward to every day I know you’ll be here. You brighten my days so much, Annie. You’re the sunshine of my life.” Jeff said, his blue eyes glistening with wet tears as he gazed lovingly at her.</p><p>“Aw, Jeff! That’s so sweet!” Annie cooed happily, and closed the gap between them to give him a warm kiss. </p><p>“But when did you get so romantic?” Annie asked once their lips let go of each other.</p><p>“You made me like this. I barely know who I am anymore, it’s like my mind is filled with pictures of you and nothing else.” Jeff said, and laughed a bit.</p><p>“You’re sweet. I love you.” </p><p>“I love you too, Annie.” Jeff returned, and smiled at her. Annie felt like capturing the moment, and leaned over to kiss him again. She kissed him softly, sweetly, and deepened the kiss, which Jeff went along with. But once Annie tugged at his shirt, intent to take things further, Jeff pushed her off.</p><p>“Jeff?” Annie asked, looking at him in slight shock. He never, never resisted when she initiated make-out sessions, but this time he had, and she didn’t get why.</p><p>“Can we just…not do that right now? I don’t feel like it, sorry.” Jeff said, looking at her apologetically. </p><p>Annie knew something was wrong, that something was bothering him, but couldn’t understand what. But she also knew that he’d open up if he felt comfortable, so she decided not to pry. “It’s okay, don’t be sorry.” </p><p>“Thanks. Uhm, can you tell me more about your co-workers?” Jeff asked, and Annie couldn’t help but feel like he was purposefully changing the subject.</p><p>“Uh, sure.” Annie said, smiling awkwardly. “I told you about Cam, and I mentioned Henry. Henry’s my boss, he gave me a long tour on Monday, like I told you. Showed me everything there, really. He’s been greeting everyone each morning, though I think that’s his unconventional way of checking who’s at work and who isn’t. Either way, he’s really nice to everyone. Oh, and Cam has a friend in the office called Emily. She used to be his assistant up until a few months ago, like I am now. She’s really, really nice. I had lunch with her, Cam and Mason on Monday, and then it was just Cam and me on Tuesday since we were checking out the fire. I wasn’t in on Wednesday and Thursday since I had classes, but I had lunch with Emily earlier today. And it was really nice, we talked about my first week, and we got to know each other a bit more. Turns out she used to live not far from where Abed lives right now.” </p><p>“Oh wow. It’s great that you’ve found a group of friends to hang out with. What about that Mason guy, how’s he?” Jeff asked, sounding genuinely interested in what she was talking about, though his eyes had kept drifting elsewhere in the room.</p><p>“Mason seems nice. He wants to help me, I think. He’s Emily’s assistant, and our desks are really close, so we see each other a lot when we’re both at our workstations. He’s a little intense though, but it’s nothing I worry about. He actually told me I should move to Denver on Monday.” Annie explained.</p><p>“What!?” Jeff exclaimed loudly.</p><p>“Right? You can’t just tell someone you’ve barely met that they should move.” Annie said, nodding furiously.</p><p>“What did you tell him?” </p><p>“I told him that I’m fine living in Greendale, and that I don’t want to live in a bad neighborhood in the city. He said I wouldn’t need a car and whatever if I lived in the city, but I don’t want to live there unless it’s in a good neighborhood and with lots of space in the apartment. Because I definitely can’t afford a house in the suburbs. But he dropped it after I said no.” Annie elaborated for him.</p><p>“Huh, okay. Glad you said no.” Jeff said, putting on a tight smile.</p><p>“I mean, I wouldn’t have done it anyway. Did you think I would?” Annie asked him, eyeing him closely for a reaction.</p><p>“No, I didn’t think you would. But I like having you around, or close-by. I don’t want to make it difficult for you to get to work, obviously, but I want you to stay here.” Jeff replied, clarifying for her. </p><p>“Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.” Annie said, and shuffled closer so she could lean her head on his shoulder. They soon settled into a more comfortable conversation as they caught up on a few episodes of Brooklyn 99.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>It wasn’t until the day after that Annie finally decided she had enough of whatever it was that was bothering Jeff. He’d been awkward with her the night prior, not interested in doing anything fun, which was completely unlike him, and when she spoke, she had felt like while he was nodding along, his mind seemed to be elsewhere. It wasn’t that he was being rude to her, but something was wrong, and he didn’t seem like he was going to cough up what was bothering him by himself.<p>So, when she saw him running his fingers through his hair over and over as he sat on his laptop, Annie decided that she had to get to the bottom of it. </p><p>“Jeff, are you okay?” She asked softly, hoping that he would talk with her without much prodding.</p><p>Jeff startled slightly as he turned to face her. “Yeah, of course. Why?” He responded, but his eyes were drifting again.</p><p>“You look nervous.” </p><p>“I’m fine, Annie.”</p><p>“You’re not <em>fine</em>, Jeff, I know you’re not. You’re doing that thing where you run your hand through your hair and you can barely look at me. And last night you were just…weird. And you didn’t even want to do anything with me. Jeff, I slept without pajamas on and you didn’t even touch me.”</p><p>“It’s nothing, Annie. Just leave me be.” Jeff groaned.</p><p>“Fine. If you’re just going to be grumpy and weird, I’ll ‘<em>leave you be</em>’.” Annie sighed, and headed towards the door. She grabbed hold of her backpack and was in the process of tying her shoes when Jeff finally said something.</p><p>“Wait, please. I’ll tell you, just…don’t go, please.” Jeff pleaded. </p><p>Annie turned around and looked at him, and he just looked…. confused, vulnerable. “Okay, but then you need to let me in, Jeff. Don’t close me out or distract me by asking me questions about other things.”</p><p>“I won’t, I promise. Just sit down again, please.” Jeff responded.</p><p>Annie put down her backpack and removed her shoes, then sat down beside him again, reminiscent of the night prior. She hoped the outcome would be different this time, though. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”</p><p>Jeff took a deep breath, and exhaled loudly. “It’s about work.” </p><p>“Okay? Is it about Greendale or the job offers?” </p><p>“The job offers. I already have the offer from Mark, but Patterson &amp; Young gave me an offer yesterday before I picked you up.” Jeff clarified.</p><p>“Jeff that’s great! Why didn’t you tell me?” Annie asked, and gave him a big hug. Jeff’s hands however didn’t embrace her, instead he stayed limp in her arms, and she let go of him again. “Jeff, talk to me?”</p><p>“I don’t know what to do, Annie.”</p><p>“Which offer do you like the most?” Annie asked him.</p><p>“I don’t know. Mark’s offer is a lot of money and he’s willing to accommodate me, but I don’t like the way he approached me about it. It felt like he was just treating me as a client. I <em>know</em> that’s what he was doing, because I’ve seen him to what he did to me to a lot of clients before. The sweet-talking, taking them to a fancy place with VIP service, and just giving them an offer they can’t refuse. I just thought he would actually treat me like a friend, because we used to be close.”</p><p>“What about Patterson &amp; Young? Didn’t you like them?” </p><p>“I do. They’re offering me less, but they’re a reputable firm, and I would work with what I want right out of the gate. With Mark it could be a transition. But there’s a problem.” </p><p>“Oh?” Annie said, tilting her head at him.</p><p>“They want me to start <em>now</em>, or as soon as possible.” </p><p>“Oh. And you can’t do that because of…”</p><p>“Greendale.” Jeff interrupted, finishing her sentence. “Yeah. I could technically quit now and be done at the end of this year, but that would also leave my classes without a teacher for the second semester. I feel like I owe Greendale to at least finish the school year.”</p><p>“I get that.”</p><p>Jeff sighed. “Especially since I’m finally trying now. I feel like I’m actually doing a good job, but if I just quit now, then even me doing a good job would just be half-done.” </p><p>“Is there anything you can do? Have you talked with Mark? Or talked with Patterson &amp; Young?”</p><p>Jeff shook his head. “No, I haven’t. I was waiting for the offer from Patterson &amp; Young before doing anything, but I thought they knew that I couldn’t take the job right away.” </p><p>“You should speak with them. Talk with Mark, tell him that you didn’t like how he’s approached this. And talk with Patterson &amp; Young and ask if you can have a similar arrangement to what Mark has offered, or just get a contract beginning after the spring semester ends.” Annie suggested. </p><p>“Yeah, I probably should.”</p><p>“Do it Jeff, there’s no harm in trying.” Annie repeated, trying to push him into action.</p><p>Jeff nodded. “Okay, I’ll call them up later. Thank you for helping me.” He said, smiling more genuinely than he had the night before.</p><p>Annie reached out for his hands, intertwining them with her own like they often did in moments like these. “Of course, Jeff. You know you can tell me things, right?” Annie asked him, her big, blue eyes studying his intently.</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>“Then please don’t shut me out. I can tell when something’s bothering you. I want to help you if you feel down or if you have something on your mind. So please tell me so I can help you out. I love you<br/>
Jeff, and I want to be here for you.” Annie pleaded with him, her eyes trained on his in an intense, but loving look. </p><p>“Annie, I love you too. I’m not good at this, at opening up and telling people things. But I’m trying to be better for you. I want to be better.” Jeff said, his eyes gazing back into her. </p><p>“And you are doing better, Jeff. Just keep trying, okay? We’ll get there, together.” Annie said, and squeezed his hands. </p><p>“I will, I promise.”</p><p>Annie smiled, and closed the gap to give him a soft, loving kiss.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>A few hours later, Jeff had been able to set up an impromptu meeting with Mark at a local coffee shop in Greendale, which Annie had recommended. Jeff had offered to come to Denver, but Mark had politely offered to come to Greendale, as Jeff had anticipated. It was a nice gesture, but also a frequent tactic of Mark’s for clients that weren’t sure and wanted another meeting to be sure. Now, Jeff found himself waiting at the coffee shop with a cup of black coffee in front of him.<p>Suddenly he heard the ding of the door being opened. Jeff lifted his gaze towards the door, and saw a short man with equally short, black hair walk in the door. “Tango! So good to see you.” Mark said as he approached Jeff, his eyes making contact with Jeff’s as he walked towards his table, a wide smile on his face.</p><p>“Cash, good to see you too.” Jeff said politely, and accepted a hug from Mark before he sat down across from Jeff.</p><p>“So, you wanted to meet up, I hope you bring good news?” Mark asked once he was settled in his chair.</p><p>“Not necessarily.” Jeff began, and he could see Mark’s face fall a bit. “I’m not rejecting your offer, but I feel like I should be honest with you.”</p><p>“Is there anything wrong with it? I can look at modifying the offer to your liking.” Mark hurriedly interrupted.</p><p>“No Mark, there’s nothing wrong with the offer. But I know you, I know that the last meeting was you trying to woo me with VIP treatment and fancy words, and now you’re pulling out the second trick in your book for convincing unsure clients, by going out of your way to meet up. It’s very flattering, but I’m not your client.” Jeff explained calmly to Mark, all the while studying his former co-worker’s expression for a reaction. It was Mark’s one flaw as a lawyer – his face could sometimes give away his true feelings.</p><p>Mark looked a bit dejected, as Jeff expected. “Oh.” He simply muttered, seemingly a bit lost for words, which was unlike him. “I was hoping you would like that. I wanted to make you feel special, like I actually do want you. Because I really do want to work with you again.”</p><p>Jeff took a breath to collect himself. “I get that, but that simply doesn’t work on me. I know your tricks, Mark. Remember when we used to tag-team those pitches to clients? They fell for it Every. Single. Time. I just wanted you to approach me like a friend. Because I like to believe that you were the one decent guy I knew at the office.” </p><p>“The feeling is mutual. I mean, you were a bit selfish, but so was I. Compared to Alan and the rest you were saint though. I could see that you weren’t a bad guy. You were willing to lie, but you weren’t malicious. I always got the feeling that you cared for your clients on some level. But maybe you’re right, I should have done this differently, you deserve that after all you’ve been through.”</p><p>Jeff wrinkled his nose. “I deserved what happened to me. But, speaking of Alan, did you know that he was the one who discovered and told on me?” Jeff asked, letting out a question he had kept inside for years at that point. Part of him was curious about who knew before it got out.</p><p>Mark frowned. “I had a suspicion, but nothing concrete. He was the one who seemed to benefit the most from it, and the timing was definitely suspicious. Your biggest case, right before you seemed to be on track to become junior partner, and then it all blows up. Who benefits? Another person not yet junior partner, but who became one barely a year later. But it was the truth, so there wasn’t anything I could really do about it, sorry. Anyway, Alan is the scum of the earth. I’m never hiring a guy like him, but I do want <em>you</em>.”</p><p>“It’s not your fault. Honestly, I should thank him.” Jeff said, releasing a small chuckle.</p><p>Mark tilted his head at him. “You want to thank him for screwing you over?”</p><p>Jeff sighed. “I was living a lie, I had it coming. That’s not to say that he doesn’t deserve to have it all blow up in his face, he should have been jailed for sexual harassment years ago. But going to community college helped. I met good people, who helped me be better. I like to <em>think</em> that I’m a better person, at least. That’s why I can’t go back to what I did before.”</p><p>“I see. I’m glad to hear it though, we weren’t doing good things over there. That’s part of why I left, actually. I saw that people like Alan moved upwards there despite all the harassment claims, the drugs and backstabbing going on. I knew I had to leave, so after you left, I sold my place and a lot of my things, and started saving. I worked as hard as possible and saved up money, and skipped all the events and such they wanted me to dress up for. And then when I had enough money, I quit to start my own firm.”</p><p>“Smart. I should have saved up more too, but I just didn’t have enough income from the little consulting I did for them. My own firm collapsed after a few months. In hindsight I definitely rushed into it.” Jeff hummed in understanding. He could see how Mark had planned for far longer than he did, and it seemed to have worked out.</p><p>“You know, I wondered why you rejected my offer for a while. I knew that you had inevitably changed a lot, but I figured you’d take my offer anyway. And then I saw you started your own firm, and that you weren’t targeting DUI cases like you used to. Why was that?” Mark asked Jeff directly.</p><p>“I saw joining you as just going back to the old Jeff. It seemed like you thought that’s who I still was, and maybe to some extent I still was that guy, but I didn’t want to be. I wanted to be a better guy, and I still want that. That’s why I couldn’t take your offer, and it’s why I don’t know if I should take it now. I have to be honest with you, Mark. I have an offer from Patterson &amp; Young.” Jeff said, and he could see Mark’s eyes widen from the revelation. “I haven’t accepted it, it’s by no means a perfect offer either. But they’re willing to let me work as the lawyer I want to be, within fields where I can help people that actually need it, not people who want to escape their troubles. The Alans of the world, if you will.”</p><p>Mark seemed stunned by the news. After a few moments of silence, he finally spoke up. “Jeff, that’s great news! Patterson &amp; Young are a great firm, specialists in family law. We don’t currently have that draw in family law cases, but we’re working on that. I don’t know if you’ve seen, but we’ve started to run an ad on a local station more geared towards families.”</p><p>“I haven’t seen that, no.”</p><p>“It’s great. It’s about this kid who sees his parents fighting, but has the chance at a happy childhood despite his parents fighting, because the lawyers handling the divorce does it amicably and with understanding to protect the kid. We thought that would be the message we want to send, that we want to protect the weakest, those that get stuck in the middle of conflicts like that.” Mark elaborated.</p><p>“Huh. That’s actually kind of nice. You’re going through with this?” Jeff asked him.</p><p>Mark nodded. “We are. You made some good points, and I think it’s the logical next step for us. Helping people in need makes sense. It’s difficult to start with it, but since we have the capital to do it, it makes sense to expand in that direction. I don’t want to have a company that just ends up with the same reputation of Hamish, Hamish &amp; Hamlin.” He confirmed.</p><p>“You should have seen the looks of people’s faces when I told them I used to work there. They looked disgusted.” Jeff chimed in with.</p><p>“I mean it’s no wonder. It’s all just defending drunks, thieves and making harassment suits go away. And that’s not even mentioning how awful some of the people working there are.”</p><p>“And that’s why I need to thank Alan. He got me out of there. Now for the first time ever, I’m being honest with everyone, and I’m happy. My job is okay, I have good friends, a girlfriend that I love, a nice apartment, and I have a shot at going back into the business the way I want to.” Jeff added, tracing back to his earlier point.</p><p>“Gotcha. Annie, right?” </p><p>“Annie, yes.” Jeff confirmed.</p><p>“How did you two meet?” Mark asked right away.</p><p>“We met in a study group my first day at Greendale, actually.” </p><p>Mark’s face brightened up a bit. “Oh, so you’ve been together long?”</p><p>“No, we’re closing in on two months together now. We took a long time, mostly because of me.” Jeff clarified.</p><p>“Ah, a slow burn.” Mark remarked.</p><p>“A what?” Jeff replied with narrowed eyes.</p><p>“A relationship that takes a really long time to actually begin. Sorry, been reading too many novels lately.” Mark elaborated.</p><p>“If you say so.” Jeff snorted.</p><p>“Anyway, she seemed nice.”</p><p>“She is. She’s pretty great, I’m lucky to have her in my life.” Jeff said, and smiled fondly.</p><p>“I met someone too, a year ago.” Mark suddenly said.</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“She’s a nurse. She was a witness in one of my cases, and she seemed really sweet. It seemed right. I called her after the trial was done, and asked her out. We’ve been together ever since. She’s got a kid, a seven-year-old. He’s a really good kid. I know it’s been a bit awkward for him to suddenly have me in his life, but it’s going really well. I’m thinking of proposing to her soon. I have a ring hidden away.” Mark detailed, sounding genuinely excited about her.</p><p>Jeff smiled, happy for his old friend. “Wow…Mark, that’s great! Was she at the party too?” </p><p>“No, I told her I was going, but it’s not her thing. Besides, I’d rather not let her meet all of the people from Hamish.” </p><p>Jeff laughed. “Makes sense. I was glad to have Annie with me. Honestly, I was so incredibly nervous to go. I was afraid people would recognize me. But having her with me helped keep me calm.”</p><p>“I’m sure that drink in Alan’s face didn’t hurt either.” Mark chuckled.</p><p>“Definitely didn’t.” Jeff replied with a wide, proud smile. </p><p>“Either way, you seem happy now Jeff. I’m glad to see it. If she makes you happy, make sure to keep her around.” Mark said wisely.</p><p>“Likewise. Actually, I know you two met, but would you like to meet her again?” Jeff asked him.</p><p>“Definitely! I’d love to get to know the woman who tamed Jeff Winger.” Mark replied teasingly.</p><p>“Great, I’ll send her a message to tell her we’re coming, and then we can head over there.” Jeff said, and pulled out his phone. Mark only nodded in response.</p><p><em>Hey, I’m with Mark right now. I suggested that he meet you, I need a second opinion on him just to be sure. Okay if he comes over?</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 2:03 PM</p><p>A few seconds later, he got a reply.</p><p><em>Uhm, sure. Everything okay?</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 2:03 PM</p><p><em>Yep, it’s going well. Just need a second opinion from someone that doesn’t know him that well. We’re coming over right away. Thank you!</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 2:04 PM</p><p><em>Okay, see you then!</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 2:04 PM</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“Right, here we are.” Jeff announced as they reached his door. He grabbed the handle reflexively, but it was locked, as he had expected. Annie usually locked the door when she was alone, even when she was expecting him. Before he could bring out his key, he heard someone bounce up inside, and rapid footsteps heading towards the door. Suddenly, the door opened up.<p>“Hello sunshine.” Jeff greeted her right away, and bent down to give her a quick kiss, like they had grown accustomed to when he greeted her these days. It wasn’t a gesture he had done with anyone before in the past, but this wasn’t just anyone either. It was Annie, and he’d die happy if he got to have her soft lips on his whenever they greeted each other.</p><p>“Hey handsome.” She returned with a smile once their lips parted from each other. It was then that she realized the presence of a smaller man behind Jeff. “Oh, sorry.” She apologized once she made eye contact with Mark. He was dressed more casual than last time she had seen him, but was still neatly dressed in well fitted dark jeans and a checkered blue and black shirt, which contrasted well with her own grey sweatpants and purple hoodie combination, selected specifically for a lazy Saturday. </p><p>“No worries. You two are cute together.” Mark said, sporting a friendly smile.</p><p>“Right, uhm. Come inside.” Annie said, and backed into the apartment, letting Jeff and Mark step inside. They both hung up their jackets while Annie sat down on the couch.</p><p>“Nice place you’ve got here.” Mark said, looking right at Annie. “Bit colorless, but lots of space to work with.” </p><p>Jeff looked at Annie, who looked a bit stunned by the comment. She looked back at him; mouth slightly open. Jeff decided to interject himself. “It’s my place. Annie’s staying over for the weekend.”</p><p>“You left your lady here alone when she’s over to visit? Tsk, poor manners, Tango.” Mark said, and gave Jeff’s shoulder a little push.</p><p>“It’s okay, I suggested it. I got some work done anyway, and he doesn’t need to lock himself in the apartment just because I’m over.” Annie said with a nervous smile.</p><p>“Gotcha. It definitely looks like a place that belongs to Jeff, minus a few things here and there.” Mark remarked as he studied the room.</p><p>“She’s brought over a few things, apparently it looked too much like ‘<em>short term corporate housing</em>’ or whatever she called it.” Jeff said, snorting slightly at the memory of Annie’s various descriptions of how colorless his place looked.</p><p>“Jeeeeff! You said you were okay with it!” Annie said, sounding offended by his comments.</p><p>“I am, I don’t mind adding a little Annie to the place.” He smiled at her.</p><p>Annie rolled her eyes at him, but couldn’t help but smile at him for remembering.</p><p>“But uhm, Mark, why don’t you take a seat? Want anything to drink? Got some wine and some scotch.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“I’ll take a glass of water. No alcohol, I’m driving.” Mark replied.</p><p>Jeff nodded and headed off to the kitchen, while Mark sat down on the couch to the right of the one Annie was seated in. Jeff returned half a minute later with a glass of water for Mark, then sat down beside Annie.</p><p>“So, Mark, Jeff’s told me you’ve offered him a job?” Annie asked tentatively.</p><p>“That I did. I’m sure you heard us talking at the party, and we had a meeting not too long ago where I tried to lay out a more concrete offer. We agreed that it makes sense for him to stay at Greendale for now, while doing part-time consultancy work up until the summer, and then he can step into a full position.” Mark explained, recapping his offer for Annie, though she had already been informed by Jeff.</p><p>“Yes, that makes sense. But what kind of law do you usually do?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Well, when Jeff and I worked together in the past, we usually dealt with DUIs, thievery and other criminal law cases. So that’s what I built the firm around, since that’s what made sense financially. I didn’t want to replicate Hamish, Hamish &amp; Hamlin, but I knew that we had to start off focused on what we knew, and do that well before doing anything else.” </p><p>“But you’re willing to expand?” Annie continued asking.</p><p>“Willing, and actually in the beginning phases of doing so. We’ve started advertising within family law, and we’ve begun looking into public law outside of criminal law, though that will take a bit more time since it’s a bit of a different dynamic than what we’ve usually dealt with. We’ve begun shifting over a few lawyers to tentatively establish a family law department though.” Mark detailed for her.</p><p>“Oh.” Annie said, her mouth slightly open as she tilted her head a bit to the side.</p><p>“My thinking is that Jeff could do consultancy work initially, while making himself acquainted with the business and getting back into it, as sort of a transition. After that, he could step into a senior partner role spearheading that new department.” Mark continued.</p><p>“Oh wow, that’s pretty great. But isn’t that a bit risky since Jeff hasn’t been practicing law in a while?” Annie questioned. Jeff pondered a bit about that question, but quickly put it aside as fair to ask.</p><p>“Possibly, but I trust him. I know his firm collapsed, but I think that’s more because of the change of focus and lack of funding, not lack of ability. With us, he can get warmed up again before stepping back into it, and we have the financial ability to do this without being in any danger. And I believe that he’ll get the job done. He was one of the best lawyers I knew even without a degree, so I have no reason to doubt his abilities. Hell, he talked me into offering him the consultancy gig while barely lifting a finger.” Mark said.</p><p>“If you think I’m convincing, you should see Annie when she really wants something. She’s unstoppable.” Jeff added.</p><p>“Jeeeeff!” Annie said frustratedly, and lightly hit his chest.</p><p>“What? It’s true.” Jeff laughed.</p><p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Annie replied defiantly.</p><p>“Oh, sure you don’t.” Jeff replied, and pulled her in towards him, leaning her head on his shoulder as she giggled from the sudden movement.</p><p>Mark simply sat there, shaking his head at the two of them. </p><p>With her head still on Jeff’s shoulder, Annie continued the questioning. “But Mark, if you two were such good friends, why didn’t you two stay in touch? I didn’t get the impression that Jeff stayed in touch with any of his old friends from his time as a lawyer.”</p><p>Mark took a deep breath, then spoke. “It’s true, I considered Jeff a friend of mine. We lost touch, but I want to make up for that. In the end, I should have been the one to reach out, given how awkward it must have felt for him to do so given everything that happened. I guess some part of me felt lied to, since that left me alone without any true allies in that company. But I also realize that he <em>couldn’t</em> tell me, that it wasn’t anything personal. But I want to make up for that, which is why I asked him right away when I heard he was graduating, and it’s why I’m here now. I want my old partner back, because he’s a damn good lawyer, and he seems to be an even better guy now.” </p><p>“Hm, okay.” Annie muttered.</p><p>“Well, I can’t give you an answer right now, but I appreciate this. Nice to have a good talk with you again Mark.” Jeff told Mark.</p><p>“Likewise. I’m sorry I didn’t do this right away; I shouldn’t have tried so hard to impress you.” Mark said, looking a bit apologetic.</p><p>“It’s okay, I get why you did it. Old habits can be hard to break, I know as much from experience.”</p><p>“Ain’t that the truth.” Mark chuckled. “Anyway, I should probably be going now, I won’t interrupt your weekend together.” He added, and stood up.</p><p>“No, it’s okay, you can stay.” Annie interjected herself to say.</p><p>“Nonsense. You shouldn’t have work hanging over your heads when you finally have some time off together. Enjoy yourselves, have some fun. I’m going to head home to Sarah, I don’t know if she loved that I interrupted our calm Saturday for work.” Mark replied with a shake of his head as he got himself dressed by the door. </p><p>“You should probably do that. Tell her I said hi.” Jeff said, and stood up, with Annie shuffling to the so he could. </p><p>“Hey, come here buddy.” Mark said, and approached Jeff with his arms out. Jeff accepted it, and let the smaller man hug him, for old times sake. “It was good seeing you again too, Annie. You two have a great weekend, okay?” He added once he let go of Jeff. </p><p>“We’ll figure something out.” Annie smiled, her eyes drifting over to Jeff. </p><p>Soon after, Mark left, leaving Annie and Jeff alone to figure out how to spend the rest of their weekend.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's Halloween time, and Annie is excited to finally return to Greendale to celebrate it - if only she can convince Jeff to come, let alone wear a proper costume.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a long day for Jeff Winger. He had ended up with back-to-back classes at Greendale due to a class earlier in the week getting postponed as a result of cleaning being needed in his new classroom. Apparently, some people had done <em>unspeakable things</em> there again, according to Craig. Now, he simply wanted to go home and crash on the couch for the rest of the day. The combination of classes, impending decisions about his future job and a poor night of sleep had done a number on him. He didn’t have any Annie visit to look forward to either, as she was planning on spending the day studying.</p><p>With a sigh, Jeff unlocked his door, and opened it. As he entered, his eyes shifted up from the door handle, and took in the sight in front of him. The room was dark, really dark. Unusually dark, despite it being the evening in the closing stages of October. November was nearly there, and winter was fast approaching with it. Despite Greendale’s unusual penchant for warm winters, it would inevitably get colder and darker outside. But his apartment was far too dark. Were the curtains <em>and</em> blinders drawn? Wait, when did he get black curtains? And why was there a pumpkin on the table? Jeff was completely puzzled, until a shape suddenly appeared from the bathroom door. Was that a person? He wasn’t expecting any visitors. And only one person except himself had a key…</p><p>“Annie?” Jeff called out, and the figure looked at him.</p><p>“Jeff!” Annie called out loudly, seemingly startled by his voice. “I didn’t hear you entering.” She quickly added.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” Jeff asked as Annie shook out of her surprise, and headed towards him. “I thought you were studying today?”</p><p>“I waaaaaaas…. buuut I finished early so I headed over here, figured it would be a nice surprise.” Annie said, tilting her head gently while running her fingers over the soft fabric of the shirt covering his chest.</p><p>Jeff looked down at her, likewise tilting his head at her suggestive movements. “Okay, but what’s with the darkness?”</p><p>“I’m decorating!” Annie said cheerfully, smiling brightly up at him. “I wanted to decorate for Halloween with you, but you were late, so I started without you. I closed the curtains to you know, <em>set the mood</em>?”</p><p>“Oh, I didn’t realize you wanted to do that.” Jeff muttered, but internally facepalmed. <em>Of course</em> Annie would want to celebrate, why hadn’t he thought to ask her about this? “Got anything specific in mind?”</p><p> “I’m thinking carved pumpkin on the table by the window, skeletons sitting in the chairs of the dining room, and a graveyard with the group’s names on it on the table. Oh, and I’m putting up spiderwebs in the corners, and I have some bats I want to hang from the ceiling lights. But I can’t find the step ladder. I swear you used to have a stepladder? Or did I imagine that? <em>OH</em>, and I got this really cool pumpkin shaped lamp shade!” Annie started rambling, with seemingly no end in sight for her plans.</p><p>“Annie, calm down.” Jeff said, snapping her out of her rambling. “What do you need me to do?”</p><p>“Uhm, can you hang up the spider webs and the bats? I can’t reach up there.” </p><p>“Okay, where?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Spiderwebs in the top corners of the room, bats from the ceiling lights.” Annie explained, while Jeff just gave her a look that screamed <em>that wasn’t what I meant</em>. “Oh, you mean where they are? They’re in the plastic box over there.” Annie suddenly realized, and pointed out the box in furthermost corner of the room.</p><p>“Okay, but just that for now, okay? I honestly don’t have the energy for this right now, so can we do the rest tomorrow?” Jeff asked her with a slightly frustrated tone. </p><p>Annie’s brow furrowed a bit, and she seemed to be thinking for a brief second before she spoke. “But we need to find costumes tomorrow? I was thinking we could finally do a couples costume, and <em>not</em> over text this time.” </p><p>“Why do we need costumes, are we even doing anything?” Jeff queried with a tinge of annoyance.</p><p>“Because there’s a party at Greendale on Saturday, and I figured we could go? Britta told me about it.” Annie replied, but her excited tone from moments earlier was slowly fading, as she kept studying him.</p><p>“Do we have to? Annie, you know this isn’t my thing. And Halloween at Greendale usually ends up in disaster.” Jeff groaned.</p><p>“Jeff, I want to go. If you’re not going, I am anyway. I haven’t been at campus since before I left, and I really want to go back to visit.” Annie huffed in frustration.</p><p>Sensing Annie’s frustration at his reaction, Jeff took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Annie. I’ve had really long day. I’m really tired, and I just don’t want to deal with all of this today.” He explained calmly, trying to reason with her so she wouldn’t be upset with him.</p><p>“Oh. Okay.” Annie muttered, then paused for a few seconds, seemingly collecting her thoughts. “How about we just hang up those things I mentioned, and then we can just crash on the couch and maybe talk about costumes? Because I <em>really</em> want to do a couple’s costume this time, Jeff.” She suggested.</p><p>“Okay, deal. But quiet night today, okay? And then I’ll do everything you want tomorrow.” Jeff said, and reached out his hand.</p><p>Annie squealed in delight from his agreement, causing Jeff to simply shake his head lightly while he grinned at the overly excited dork in front of him. Once she calmed down a bit, she joined her hand with his and shook it. “Deal.” She said with a wide smile on her face.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“So, couples costume, what do you think?” Annie asked Jeff once they had settled down on the couch for the night, her arm leaning on the back of the couch as she sat with her feet up in couch, facing Jeff.<p>“Uh, I don’t know.” </p><p>“Oh come on, you must have <em>some</em> ideas.” Annie kept pushing.</p><p>“I hadn’t thought about it, Annie. I didn’t even think I would celebrate Halloween this year.” Jeff said with a sigh.</p><p>“Jeeeeeff…” Annie said exasperatedly.</p><p>“Why don’t you go first? I’m guessing you have some ideas.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>At that, Annie’s face lit up again, and she bounced up from the couch, and ran over to the door, where she had put her backpack. Seconds later, she came walking back to the couch with a visible bounce in her step, holding a colorful binder.</p><p>“You have a binder full of costume ideas, don't you?” Jeff asked, his hand holding up his head as he shook it lightly, still sporting a smile at her ridiculousness.</p><p>“Of course.” Annie replied giddily and sat down again, opening up the folder in her lap. “Okay, so I was thinking we should take the chance to get something matching. I know we tried to a few years ago, but I want to do it properly now. I have a few I think could be really nice. First, I think we could pull this one off nicely.” Annie began, pointing out a picture of Captain America and Peggy Carter. “I know none of us really like the Marvel stuff, but I think they looked really cute together, and you could <em>totally</em> pull off that suit better than Chris Evans.”</p><p>“Marvel? Hard pass from me.” Jeff commented.</p><p>“Oookay. Then I’ll cross that one and these ones out.” Annie said, mostly to herself, then flipped the page. “What about this?” She said, pointing to a picture of Batman and Robin.” </p><p>“Well, it’s not Marvel, but Batman is more Abed’s thing.” </p><p>“Good point. What about this?” Annie said, pointing out a pic from Pirates of the Caribbean. </p><p>“I’m not wearing eye-liner to impersonate Jack Sparrow, Annie.” Jeff replied dismissively.</p><p>“Jeff! You need to work with me here.” Annie sighed.</p><p>“I am! I’m just saying which ones I don’t like.” </p><p>“Fine. This one?” Annie said, pointing out a pic from Dirty Dancing. “You’d look amazing in a tank top.”</p><p>“Put that in the maybe folder. I don’t love it, but it’s easy do at least.” Jeff said, and wrinkled his nose at the thought of doing a cheesy romantic 80’s movie.</p><p>“Great! I also like this one a bit, but it’s not perfect.” Annie said while pointing to a second cheesy 80’s movie, Maverick &amp; Goose from Top Gun.</p><p>“Feels like a better fit for two buddies playing wingmen for each other. Something for Abed and Troy.” Jeff commented.</p><p>“Yeah, Troy would have loved that.” Annie agreed, but her voice dropped slightly at the mention.</p><p>“I hope he’s alright, wherever he is.” Jeff said solemnly.</p><p>“Yeah. I should call Abed later, ask what his plans are. I know he loves Halloween, probably weird for him to do it without us.” Annie said.</p><p>“He’ll probably appreciate that, hope he’s okay too.” </p><p>“Hopefully.” Annie agreed. “Anyway, costumes. Maybe we can just go as zombies? You know, just do some makeup and tear up some clothes?”</p><p>“No thanks.” </p><p>“Jeff! We’re never going to find anything if you just say no to everything!” Annie said, frustrated at the lack of co-operation.</p><p>“What about just doctor and a nurse?” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“A nurse? Ooh, like the nurses from Silent Hill?”</p><p>“What? No. Like a regular, sexy nurse.”</p><p>“Jeff! You can’t just suggest costumes you think are sexy!”</p><p>“Why not? Everybody else wears sexy costumes on Halloween.”</p><p>“I don’t want to do the same as everyone else, Jeff.”</p><p>“Fine, what about the boxer and ring-girl thing we were supposed to do way back, only we do it properly this time?” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“Jeff, I’m not doing that so you can just get out of buying a new costume. And I’m not dressing up like that, I don’t want everyone to see me in some ring girl’s outfit.” Annie said, dismissing the idea.</p><p>“You’d look really hot?” Jeff tried, hoping to persuade her with compliments.</p><p>“I’ll look hot for you in the bedroom, Jeff. I’m not going as your ring girl.” </p><p>“Fine. Speaking of, do you still have that skeleton costume?” Jeff asked her.</p><p>“Skeleton costume?” Annie replied, slightly confused.</p><p>“You know, the one you wore our first year at Greendale?” Jeff explained.</p><p>“Oh, that one. I might have it in my storage locker?” </p><p>“Think you could wear that?” </p><p>“Uhm, I don’t want to just re-hash my old costumes, Jeff. And besides, what would you be dressed as?”</p><p>“I don’t know, a bigger skeleton?” Jeff shrugged. “But you looked adorable in that costume, and kind of hot.” </p><p>“I looked hot in the <em>skeleton</em> outfit?” Annie said with narrowed eyes and tilted head.</p><p>“Mhm. It was very hot from behind. And front, but I couldn’t look too much at it. I’d like a second look at it.” Jeff said with a smirk. </p><p>“Jeff!” Annie shrieked, and slapped his chest. “I’m not wearing it to the party, I don’t just want costumes you think are hot.” She replied. “But maybe I can find it so you can look at it when we’re alone?” </p><p>“I’d like that.” Jeff said, smiling.</p><p>“Okay, but do you have any ideas that we can actually use, or else we’re continuing with my ideas.” Annie asked him with a sterner face.</p><p>“I have one, actually.”</p><p>“Let’s hear it then.”</p><p>“Do you remember the outfit you wore for the paintball game in our second year?”</p><p>“Uh, the saloon girl outfit?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Yeah, that one. Do you still have that?” </p><p>“Yes, of course I kept it. It just got covered head to toe with paint that I barely got out of my hair without cutting all of it off.” Annie said, her tone laced with sarcasm. </p><p>“Great, then you can use that!” Jeff said excitedly.</p><p>“Jeff! Of course I didn’t keep it! It was a rental, and it got ruined by the paint. I had to pay for the whole thing since it was unwashable.”</p><p>“Oh.” Jeff said. “Do you think you could get a new one?”</p><p>“Maybe?” Annie shrugged. “Do you really want to do that though? Can’t we get something new?”</p><p>“Come on, we’ll stick out. I’ll be the handsome cowboy, and you’ll be the hot, saloon girl.”</p><p>“Jeff! You’re just suggesting costumes you think I’ll be hot in!” Annie groaned in frustration.</p><p>Jeff laughed. “Come on, together we’ll be the hottest, most badass couple in the west, and at the Halloween party. It’s the perfect mix of hot and absolutely badass. It’s like you personified.” Jeff argued, hoping that she’d agree to his suggestion.</p><p>“Aw, that was actually kind of sweet.” </p><p>“What do you say?” Jeff asked, hoping she’d agree.</p><p>“Well, you make a good point. Do you still have the blue shirt and the hat?” Annie asked.</p><p>“I still have the hat somewhere. I’ll get a new shirt tomorrow, I think I spent too much time in the gym to fit the old shirt, and I threw it out anyway. Ruined by paint, like yours.” Jeff explained.</p><p>“Okay, deal. You’ll be my handsome cowboy, and I’ll get a new saloon girl outfit.”</p><p>“The one you wore during the paintball game, not at the event before that, just so we’re on the same page here.”</p><p>“I knoooow. I’ll modify it a little bit for you, don’t worry.” Annie said with a smirk.</p><p>“Mhm. You know, when I saw you in that, I barely knew what to do with myself.” Jeff admitted.</p><p>“Hmm, what exactly did you like about it?” Annie purred, suddenly in a far better mood.</p><p>“I liked how it was just <em>you</em>. Badass, smart and practical. Teasing, but didn’t show too much.” Jeff said, running his hand down her arm.</p><p>“You know, that cowboy outfit always did it for me. You have no right to pull off shirts that well.”</p><p>“And what about you showing off your thighs like that? Knee high socks?”</p><p>“I couldn’t wear a long skirt during the game, Jeff.”</p><p>“Mhm. You know, seeing your legs like that, seeing you tease me with your cleavage like that…” Jeff said, having now moved his hand to trail up along the inside of her thighs. “It made me want to go tear it off you.”</p><p>“Why don’t you demonstrate it to me then, cowboy?” Annie smirked.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“I can’t believe I’m finally back at Greendale!” Annie squealed in delight as she and Jeff stepped out of his car, arriving to the party together as Annie had planned.<p>“You really haven’t been back a single time?” Jeff asked as he walked around the car to meet her.</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>“Good thing it’s a party then, you deserve a big one for your return.” Jeff said, smiling charmingly at her as he stood in front of her.</p><p>“Jeff, it’s just me. I don’t need a party just because I’m visiting campus.” Annie replied, blushing slightly.</p><p>“You’re <em>you</em>, and that’s why you deserve a great party. Hasn’t been the same here without you.” </p><p>“Awww, that’s so sweet!” Annie cooed. “But it’s not just me that left, Abed, Troy and Shirley aren’t here either.” </p><p>“I know, I miss them too. But you were always my favorite.” Jeff continued.</p><p>“You know that’s what Pierce always told me, right?” Annie asked.</p><p>“I know, but it was no less true for me. I just didn’t have the guts to tell you.” </p><p>“Aw. Well I’m glad you’re telling me now. And you’re my favorite too, Jeff.” Annie replied, smiling broadly at him.</p><p>“I won’t ever stop telling you either, you better get used to it.” Jeff said, almost challenging her.</p><p>“I’m looking forward to it.”</p><p>“Wanna head inside?” Jeff asked, nodding his head towards the entrance to the cafeteria area.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s go.”</p><p>“Milady?” Jeff asked, offering his arm out to her.</p><p>Annie smiled. “Milord.” She replied, as she accepted his arm, heading off towards the party with their arms linked together.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>Jeff and Annie stepped out of the chilly autumn air that had started to grip Greendale, and into the considerably warmer Greendale cafeteria. Directly facing the door, they were met with a familiar face.<p>“Annie, good to see you again!” Frankie greeted once they stepped inside the building.</p><p>“Frankie, oh my god, it’s so good to see you!” Annie squealed, and hugged the taller woman tightly in a fond embrace.</p><p>“Didn’t expect to see you here Frankie, didn’t think Halloween was your thing?” Jeff asked once the two women let go of each other.</p><p>“Well as I’m sure you were aware; I was in charge of the finances of this party. I wasn’t planning on attending myself, but Britta convinced me that I should. As I see it, it’s a good chance to ensure that everything goes as it should, and that nobody unintended can enter.” Frankie detailed, hesitantly showing off her witches’ outfit.</p><p>“Dressed like a witch? That’s nice.” Annie said.</p><p>“I figured I could embrace being the evil witch that denies everyone their fun.” Frankie added with a little rare smile.</p><p>“Poignant.” Jeff commented.</p><p>Annie simply glared at Jeff for that shot, which Frankie didn’t seem to notice.</p><p>“What about you two? I can tell that Jeff is supposed to be some sort of cowboy? But I can’t tell what you’re dressed as, Annie.” Frankie queried.</p><p>“Weeeeell, it’s basically an inside joke or an old reference, but we’re doing the same costumes we wore during the paintball game at the end of our second year here.” Annie began excitedly explaining, blushing slightly from the memories.</p><p>“I don’t understand.” Frankie said.</p><p>“It started out as this, what was it, western something?” Annie continued to explain, before stopping completely when she realized she didn’t remember what they were supposed to be doing that day.</p><p>“Western themed picnic.” Jeff corrected.</p><p>“Right, we were going to have a western themed picnic, but then it turned into a paintball assassin game because someone offered up prize money to the winner. I was dressed as a saloon girl, but obviously that didn’t work for paintball, so I removed the skirt and the puffy shirt, and ended up with something like this.” Annie detailed, and did a twirl to show off her costume.</p><p>“So, you’re going as a saloon girl?” Frankie asked.</p><p>“Modified saloon girl outfit. Extra badass, right?” Annie asked, and looked up to Jeff with a grin.</p><p>“Definitely.” Jeff agreed with just as big of a grin.</p><p>“Well it’s definitely a….striking costume. You two look very good together.” Frankie said, hesitating slightly at the sight of Annie’s somewhat revealing outfit.</p><p>“The most badass couple in the west.” Jeff added.</p><p>“I hope those guns aren’t loaded?” Frankie asked, pointing to the two guns each holstered onto Jeff and Annie’s respective costumes.</p><p>“Oh, these? Unloaded paintball guns.” Annie said, and pulled out one rapidly, aiming it at Frankie’s stomach, startling her completely, before she fired two shots of air, and only air. “See?”</p><p>“Jesus, Annie.” Frankie gasped. “You better not have any ammunition hidden away, if this turns into a paintball game, I will have your heads, badass couple or not.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, we don’t keep secret stashes of paintball ammo here.” Jeff said in a laid-back manner.</p><p>“You know that when you say it like that, nobody believes you, right? You are aware of that?” Frankie asked Jeff with a sting in her tone.</p><p>“Frankie! Be nice. We’re not planning anything, it just felt natural with the costumes we chose.” Annie huffed, trying to reason with her.</p><p>“Okay, I believe you. But if you see Star-Burns anywhere, please let me know. He is not permitted to enter the school grounds, nor permitted to enter this party. He’s not a student at Greendale.” Frankie asked them both, looking sternly at them.</p><p>Annie’s eyes shot open. “Wait, if former students can’t go, does that mean that I can’t go either?” She asked, she asked, sounding slightly worried.</p><p>“No, you’re allowed in. Greendale graduates are also allowed entry, and you are also accompanied by a professor. And I can vouch for you myself, especially since I set the rules of who can and cannot come. In the case of Star-Burns, he’s banned from entering campus.” Frankie clarified.</p><p>“After the paintball stuff early this year?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“That, and he’s a known drug trafficker. We don’t want his drugs circulating around campus, especially not at an event like this.” Frankie clarified.</p><p>“That’s reasonable.” Annie said, giving a polite smile.</p><p>“I doubt anyone here will miss him.” Jeff commented with a shrug.</p><p>“Jeeeff!” Annie whined.</p><p>“What? I’m not wrong.” Jeff replied with a mischievous grin.</p><p>“No, but you didn’t need to <em>say</em> it!” Annie said frustratedly, and hit his chest.</p><p>Jeff just grinned at her reaction. She was so overly dramatic at times, but that’s the Annie he knew and loved.</p><p>“We should head inside.” Jeff said with a nod, giving Frankie a polite smile.</p><p>“You do that. Oh, and piece of advice. Stay away from the rice cakes, Garrett made them, and last time we had a dance, a few students got food poisoning from them.” Frankie warned, looking at them with a serious, unmoving face.</p><p>“Who makes rice cakes for a Halloween party?” Annie asked, looking completely bewildered by that piece of information.</p><p>“Garrett. I don’t know why.” Frankie replied instantly.</p><p>“Well if he gives me food poisoning, I’m giving him an F.” Jeff said, and tugged Annie’s hand gently.</p><p>“Uhm, see you later Frankie!” Annie said hurriedly, then turned around to follow Jeff inside to the larger party.</p><p>They headed inside of the cafeteria, where instantly Annie’s eyes went around the room, looking at the decorations. The room was as dark as the hallway they had met Frankie in had been, but unlike the hallway, where there only were some decorations on the walls, the cafeteria was full of decorations. In the cafeteria it was clear that they had gone all in. The room was filled with large, spooky trees at the sides, big (plastic) pumpkins spread around the room, black balloons hanging from the ceiling, spiderwebs drawn onto black wallpaper on the sides, while massive, black curtains covered up the normally massive windows, allowing only slight hints of moonlight to peer through. Around the room, there were various other Halloween themed decorations, making it look like someone had put an unusually large amount of effort into the party. </p><p>“Woah, this is pretty impressive.” Annie said, seeming genuinely amazed by what she was seeing.</p><p>“Yeah, I have to admit, this is pretty good.” Jeff hummed in agreement.</p><p>“I’m glad you think so!” The voice of the Dean suddenly called out, before he stepped out of the shadows in what looked like a short, white crop-top and a long, shiny, teal colored skirt that hugged his waist and thighs before sticking out more underneath the knees, complimented with a blonde wig on his head. Yet, it was unmistakably the Dean.</p><p>“Craig!” Annie said happily, nearly skipping at seeing familiar faces as she went in for the hug. </p><p>But instead of approaching Annie, Craig walked right past her and hugged Jeff. “Jeffrey! So good of you to come! I wasn’t expecting you here, but I really hoped that you would come to see what we did to the place.” He said, hugging Jeff tightly, who just stood there a bit frozen as Craig held his head suspiciously tight against Jeff’s chest.</p><p>Finally, Craig let go, and took a short step back. “Oh my, is that the costume I think it is? Jeffrey, I have been waiting so long to see you in that shirt, I-“ Craig began rambling, while Jeff’s eyes drifted over to where Annie was standing, her arms held tightly across her chest, and she looked positively stumped at being ignored like that.</p><p>Jeff cleared his throat loudly. “Craig, it’s Annie’s first day back at Greendale in months, I’m here multiple times every week.” </p><p>“Oh, you are right. Annie, how long has it been?” Craig asked her, shifting his focus away from Jeff.</p><p>“Four and half months now.” Annie said flatly, still a bit bummed out from the looks of her.</p><p>“Oh wow. Greendale has missed you terribly Annie. Any chance of you coming back?” </p><p>“I’m afraid not, I’ve just started at the Denver FBI, and they’re having me take some classes at the University of Denver.” </p><p>Craig gasped. “You’re taking classes at another school!? You hurt me, Annie. You have hurt all of Greendale.”</p><p>Annie rolled her eyes at his dramatic reaction. “It wasn’t my decision, they got me the spot despite me enrolling late because they have a partnership with the University. And I don’t think Greendale has the classes they wanted me to take.” She explained, very matter-of-factly.</p><p>“I understand.” Craig said with clear dejection in his voice.</p><p>“It looks like you were able to plan the party without me though?” Annie said, trying to lift his mood a bit.</p><p>“Oh, but it went fantastic. Me and Annie Kim just went off with our ideas! That girl is simply amazing at decorating, I wish I realized sooner.”</p><p>Jeff looked at Annie worried, and could see her eyes blinking, her lips forced together, forming an expression he could only think was Annie trying not to snap right then and there. “That’s. Great.” Annie forced out, but Jeff could tell that she didn’t mean it. Jeff squeezed her hand, and looked at her reassuringly, hoping she would calm down. </p><p>Luckily, she seemed to ease down slightly. Jeff decided that it was best to change subject. “So, Craig, what is your costume tonight?” </p><p>“Why I am a mermaid, Jeffrey!”</p><p>“A mermaid? Didn’t know that to be a man’s costume.” Jeff said, narrowing his eyes at the suspiciously short crop top.</p><p>“Oh Jeffrey, since when have you known me to conform to gender expectations? And there has to be male mermaids, or else reproduction of mermaids would be impossible. If anything, I’m doing the representation of mermaids a favor.” Craig explained proudly, his head raised highly in pride.</p><p>“Fair enough.”</p><p>“You look very nice, Craig.” Annie added.</p><p>“As do you Annie. Is that the same outfit you wore during our western picnic years ago?” Craig asked, his eyes narrowed as he studied her outfit.</p><p>“It’s the same as after you let the school descend into a paintball war, yes. Me and Jeff decided to go with matching costumes. I’m the badass saloon girl to his cowboy.” Annie said, and smiled proudly.</p><p>“Well I must say, you look absolutely dashing, both of you. I just hope this party won’t go like that picnic.” Craig said. “<em>Or that Halloween party the same year.</em>” He added with a whisper to himself.</p><p>“What was that?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Nothing!” Craig said defensively. “I must, uh, I’m getting called!” He said, patting his sides for his phone, not realizing he didn’t have pockets. Jeff and Annie simply watched him rapidly walk off out of the room.</p><p>Once he was safely out of the room, Jeff looked back down at Annie. “Are you okay?” He asked her tenderly.</p><p>“I can’t <em>believe</em> that he got Annie-Kim of all people to help him. And then he <em>tells</em> me and rubs it in my face! Ugh!” Annie groaned angrily.</p><p>“Annie, it’s okay.” Jeff tried to reassure her.</p><p>“Did you know?” Annie asked him directly in response.</p><p>“That Annie-Kim planned the party? No. I know she’s been involved in a lot of stuff, representing the students in some sort of committee.” </p><p>Annie gasped. “And you didn’t think to <em>tell me!?</em>” </p><p>“Annie, I’ve barely paid attention to what they’ve been doing. I’m not involved anymore. I just know it’s a student-only thing, and that they only meet up now and then and talk with Frankie once in a while. I don’t care, and neither should you. You’re with the FBI now, and Annie-Kim wishes she was in your shoes.” Jeff tried to explain, hoping he could reason with her.</p><p>Annie took a few deep breaths, seemingly easing herself down. “You’re right. It’s just frustrating.”</p><p>“I know. But she’s got nothing on you, so don’t let her get to you.” Jeff reiterated. “And you’d plan a much cooler party anyway. You’d never let Garrett make poisonous rice cakes, for one.”</p><p>Annie snorted slightly at that. “Let’s go try some food that <em>isn’t</em> rice cakes.” She suggested.</p><p>“Agreed.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>After trying out some fairly tasty candy, which Jeff reluctantly ate some of while Annie gladly indulged, they found some chairs in the corner of the room, and sat down to get some distance from the crowded room. They sat there chatting idly for a little bit, before suddenly a familiar looking man wearing a lab coat and glasses appeared.<p>“Winger!” Duncan called out; his arms raised out wide in an inviting posture as he approached.</p><p>“Duncan. Fancy seeing you here. I didn’t think you celebrated Halloween?” Jeff queried in response to Duncan’s unexpected appearance.</p><p>Duncan grabbed a chair from the nearby table, and sat down across from Jeff and Annie, who sat close to each other. “Well, you see Jeff, I don’t celebrate all of these frankly ridiculous American holidays, but a certain blonde insisted that I should appear tonight. And it made me realize that I have missed out one of the benefits of coming to America; slutty Halloween costumes. Frankly I cannot wait to see what exquisite outfit Miss Perry has picked out for the occasion.”</p><p>“What makes you think she’ll do that?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“Because you see Jeff, I have a theory that most women must dress sluttily on Halloween, because it’s the rare occasion in which it is accepted by society to do so. Case in point, your dear Annie.” He said, then gestured to Annie.</p><p>Annie gasped. “I’m <em>not</em> dressed sluttily.” She replied defiantly.</p><p>“Sure you aren’t.” Duncan replied, blowing off her denial.</p><p>“It’s a reference to something that happened after you ran off for two years without speaking to any of us!” Annie said frustratedly, and crossed her arms over her chest in a huff.</p><p>“Duncan, knock it off.” Jeff ordered.</p><p>“Apologies if I came off a bit crude, Annie. I don’t mind what you are wearing at all, even though you are a 10. Which is a British 12. But you are far out of my league, and I imagine Jeff would brutally murder me if I so much as looked at you. So, I eagerly anticipate what dear Miss Perry has dressed up as instead.” Duncan said, with some sincerity.</p><p>Annie, seemingly haven gotten over his comment, simply giggled. </p><p>“What? Was me apologizing that unthinkable? Do I have something on my face?” Duncan asked, and felt around his face for anything that didn’t belong.</p><p>Jeff, understanding what Annie was laughing about, chuckled a little. “No, nothing you don’t usually have there.”</p><p>“Alright then, be all secretive and laugh at your old friend. I’ll have you know, I washed my face before coming here, and I have not eaten since I arrived, so there is no way I could have anything in my face. I know you’re hiding something else. Booyah!” Duncan went on to say, seeming very proud of himself.</p><p>“If you say so.” Annie said smugly. </p><p>“In any case, what is that costume supposed to be, Duncan?” Jeff asked.</p><p>Duncan looked at Jeff with a look of pure <em>hurt</em>. “I will have you know that I am dressed as a doctor, and the fact that you did not realize that hurts my pride.”</p><p>“Doesn’t doctor costumes usually have a stethoscope?” Annie questioned.</p><p>“He probably just put on a lab coat before he left his apartment.” Jeff whispered out loud to Annie, full well knowing that Duncan could hear it, causing Annie to giggle.</p><p>“Hey! I can hear you two whispering like teenagers.” Duncan said, breaking them away from their shared giggles. “Are you two familiar with the adage <em>‘A penny saved, is a penny earned’</em>? The way I see it, if I can attend this little thing without putting any effort or money into it and still get the reward I want, then I have gained even more than if I wasted my time on some silly costume. And I would rather do that than dress up as some zombie. And <em>you</em> of all people should agree with that, Winger.” </p><p>“Touché.” Jeff said, holding his arms up in mock surrender. “Well you know, actually, I did try a bit more this year.” </p><p>“Don’t try to convince me that putting on a dark blue shirt and a cowboy hat is you trying, Jeff. Not even your mother would believe that.” Duncan said bluntly.</p><p>“We’re doing a couples costume. I’m the most dangerous saloon girl in the west, and Jeff is the handsome cowboy that rode into town and wooed me. Together we’ll be the most feared outlaws in the west.” Annie explained passionately and proudly, her gleeful, proud expression matched by her head being held high.</p><p>“You Americans and your wild west fetish.” Duncan commented with a shake of his head.</p><p>Suddenly Annie felt her phone buzz in the phone holder she had attached to her outfit. Jeff had called her a dork and laughed at her for having a fanny pack, but admitted that it kind of worked with the rest of the outfit, and actually let her carry her phone, among other things. “Text from Britta, she says she just arrived. Let’s go meet her!” She excitedly said.</p><p>“If I may ask, why would Miss Perry text you to inform you that she arrived? Don’t the two of you live together?” Duncan asked instantly.</p><p>“Oh, I arrived with Jeff. You know, matching costumes.” Annie reminded him. “And I texted Britta to ask where she was, apparently she just forgot the time. Let’s go!” She added, and stood up from her chair. </p><p>The trio headed towards the door together, with a very chipper Annie, as Duncan described it, leading the way. Jeff could see that Duncan was also excited, though he tried to keep it secret, unlike Annie. Unaware to all 3 of them, a figure in the shadows of the cafeteria watched them the whole way…</p><p>“Guys!!! It’s so good to see youuu!” Britta said excitedly and very loudly once she recognized them in the hallway. She moved over to them as quickly as he costume would let her. She ran up to hug Annie and Jeff, leaving Duncan to awkwardly hug the trio from outside.</p><p>Once they let go of each other, Britta resumed speaking. “Oh my god, are you wearing the paintball outfit from years ago? That’s so cooool! Why didn’t you tell me about it? I would have worn mine too!” She said, very animatedly and loudly, but also slightly groggy.</p><p>“It’s a couples costume, Britta. I talked him into doing it!” Annie said excitedly skipping a bit with a gleeful smile on her face. </p><p>“No way!” Britta said loudly, before moving closer to Annie’s ear. “Don’t tell him this, but he has become <em>such</em> a sap, I barely recognize him when he’s around you or talking about you.” She whispered far too loudly.</p><p>“Britta, I can hear you. The whole school can hear you.” Jeff said, his arms crossed over his chest.</p><p>Annie turned around to Jeff. “Jeeff!” She said with her mouth agape in frustration.</p><p>“I believe that Miss Perry here may have indulged in some substances before she arrived.” Duncan interjected himself to say.</p><p>Annie turned back around to Britta. “Britta? Is that true?”</p><p>“Psh, I didn’t take that much, ‘m fine.” Britta responded, dismissing it with a wave of the hand.</p><p>“Please tell me you didn’t do it in the apartment?” Annie asked her.</p><p>“Noooo, I did it in my room. It’s <em>fiiiine.</em>” Britta replied, still equally dismissive of any problem.</p><p>“Did you at least open up the window in your room?” Annie continued questioning.</p><p>“Ohhh, the window in my room! I remember when I used to climb out of that when I was with Troy! That was fun.” Britta responded excitedly, completely missing the entire question Annie just asked.</p><p>“Oh my god. The apartment’s going to smell like weed when I get back.” Annie said out loud, her eyes blinking rapidly as she spoke faster and faster. “And we’re going to have to leave the windows open for days just to get it out so the landlord doesn’t recognize it if he does a check. And it’s starting to get cold outside, so the place will be freezing.” She continued, now holding her hand against her forehead, running her fingers hard against the skin, towards the bridge of her nose.</p><p>“Uhm, Duncan. Why don’t you take Britta with you inside, and we’ll meet you there in a bit?” Jeff suggested to Duncan, seeing how agitated and distressed Annie was.</p><p>“Right. Britta, why don’t I… show you the decorations they’ve put up?” Duncan said, and laid his arm around her shoulder to lead her towards the cafeteria. “They’ve really done a splendid job, I must say. The Dean must have gone far over budget though, there is no way he could….” Duncan continued, his voice fading away until Jeff knew they were out of listening range.</p><p>“Annie, are you okay?” Jeff asked, seeing her stand her with her head in her hands.</p><p>“I just can’t….I can’t believe her sometimes!” Annie said, erupting out loud, and Jeff noticed Duncan’s head turning down the hallway, before he hurried himself and Britta off. “She promised me she wouldn’t do it inside the apartment, but now she has, and it’s going to <em>stink</em> there for days until we can get the smell out. I don’t mind that she uses it, I just hate the smell of it. I don’t want that where I live.” She continued rambling, very obviously upset.</p><p>“I get that. She should be more considerate about it. And it’s legal, so it’s not like she’d be arrested if she did it outside of the apartment block.” Jeff said, and sighed.</p><p>“I just don’t think she gets it. I hate that smell, and I’ll have to go back there later to air out the apartment while I hide under blankets in my room.” </p><p>“You don’t. You can come back with me. Stay over a few more days.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“Jeff, you don’t understand. I have my work clothes in the apartment, and I’ll still need to open the windows, because Britta definitely won’t.”</p><p>“Okay, so we stop by there on the way back later, and we grab your clothes and open the windows. Then you can stay over with me for as long as you need, until the place smells normal and is warm again.” </p><p>“Are you sure?” Annie asked, looking up at him with big, vulnerable eyes.</p><p>Jeff took her hands it his, and held her gently. “Yes Annie, I’m sure. If that’s what you want, then of course you can stay at my place.” He said, his eyes locked in a gaze with hers.</p><p>“I’d like that.” Annie said weakly, and smiled tightly at him.</p><p>“It’s agreed then.” Jeff said, and Annie’s face instantly brightened up a bit.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“Ah, there you are. I was beginning to think that you had gone off to shag each other senseless in some supply closet.” Duncan commented once Jeff and Annie found him and Britta sitting beside a small table in the cafeteria.<p>“No, we needed to have a little talk. Thanks for taking care of Britta.” Jeff replied as he and Annie sat back down again. Annie was quiet, likely still angry at Britta, but Jeff felt a sense of relief knowing that he had at least relieved some of her stress by reassuring her that his place was always available to her. If Annie came over and never returned to her apartment again, he couldn’t say he would mind one bit. Maybe he’d even like that a lot.</p><p>“No worries mate, she has behaved herself perfectly. I got her a cup of water, slapped a rice cake out of her hand, and got her to sit down here while we chatted a little bit. I tell you what, you’d think she was chattier when she’s high, but it’s rather the opposite. What a fascinating woman.”</p><p>“I’m right here, you jerk.” Britta suddenly chimed in with.</p><p>“Ah, guess who has regained some sense of awareness.” Jeff teased.</p><p>Britta stuck her tongue out at him, and half turned away. </p><p>“Britta, I’ve been meaning to ask you ever since you arrived, but why in God’s name are you dressed like a hot dog?” Duncan asked her. Jeff and Annie instantly burst into laughter, earning them a shake of the head by Duncan.</p><p>Britta turned back around instantly at that, with a clear fire in her look. “If you knew how they treat the animals in those hot dogs, you would dress like this too! Not only is the storage and breeding of those poor animals just to brutally murder them inhumane and despicable, but then they pull out all of their insides and stuff them full of preservatives and other disgusting things to change the taste and make it last forever, just so you guys can be lazy about buying fresh food!” </p><p>“Just saying that you’re protesting animal-based food would have sufficed.” Jeff commented right away.</p><p>“You disgust me Jeff. You and your low carb diet, yet you gladly eat mistreated animals.” Britta snapped back at him.</p><p>“You guys! We shouldn’t be fighting tonight.” Annie interjected herself into the conversation to say.</p><p>“Actually, I think it’s quite fascinating. You obviously feel quite strongly about this, so I can’t help but wonder about where your feelings about meat originated from?” Duncan asked Britta instead, ignoring Annie’s request.</p><p>Britta cleared her throat. “Uhm, I think it started when I was a little kid, I used to have a-“ </p><p>“You guys, I think we’re being watched.” Annie suddenly interrupted with a loud whisper.</p><p>“What? Where?” Jeff instantly burst out, his eyes searching the room.</p><p>“Jeff! Don’t make it so obvious!” Annie hissed.</p><p>“I’m telling you; the government has eyes <em>everywhere</em>.” Britta told the group far too loudly.</p><p>“Just tell me where he is.” Jeff demanded from Annie with a whisper of his own.</p><p>“Oh, this is all very dramatic. I’m sure Greendale has resurrected Jack the Ripper for this wonderous occasion.” Duncan quipped.</p><p>Ignoring Duncan’s sarcasm, Annie whispered into Jeff’s ear. “Person to our left, in the plague doctor outfit. They keep looking over here all the time.”</p><p>“The what costume?” </p><p>“You know, the black trench coat and white beak?”  </p><p>“It’s probably just Chang.” Duncan suggested with a disinterested tone.</p><p>“No, Chang isn’t that tall.” Annie denied.</p><p>“Ah. You sure it isn’t just someone that is surprised to see you back here?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“Then why haven’t they just come said hello?” </p><p>“Good point. I’ll deal with it.” Jeff said, then stood up. </p><p>“Jeff, wait.” Annie hissed, and tried to tug at his sleeve to keep him sitting, but to no avail. Jeff marched over towards the plague doctor, who seemed to notice. The plague doctor backed into the crowd, and Jeff picked up his pace. Behind him, Annie, Britta and with great reluctance, Duncan, stood up and started to follow. </p><p>The doctor ran through the crowds at a surprising speed, pushing aside pumpkins and people as they tried to gain from the pursuers distance. They were quick, but so was Jeff, his long strides, muscular frame and well fitted costume helping him gain ground on the elusive doctor. The doctor was quick, but his costume was large, and his vision limited, seriously restricting his quickness in a crowd full of people. Finally, he managed to slip out of the crowd, and bolted towards the door. But in the open space, Jeff gained even more ground, and as the culprit reached the door, Jeff finally caught up and leaped forward to roughly tackle the culprit to the ground.</p><p>“Got you.” Jeff gasped out, his full weight leaning over the defeated plague doctor. </p><p>“Jeff! Are you okay?” Annie worriedly asked as she ran over to Jeff, and crouched down beside him.</p><p>“Yeah, I’m fine. This guy took most of the landing anyway.” He replied with a nod of his head.</p><p>“Overly dramatic as always, Winger.” Duncan commented, visibly out of breath compared to the rest.</p><p>“<em>I’m Jeff Winger, I’m the biggest, coolest guy at Greendale, and I run around tackling students for looking at my girlfriend</em>.” Britta said in a mocking tone.</p><p>Annie simply scowled at her.</p><p>“<em>And I’m Britta Perry, who shows up at parties high so everyone has to take care of her all night</em>.” Jeff mocked in return. Britta retorted by sticking out her tongue.</p><p>“While this exchange is very fascinating, I am more curious as to who is hiding underneath that mask. And I’m also curious about how said mask didn’t break in the fall.” Duncan pointed out.</p><p>“Right. Time to see who you really are.” Jeff said as he turned back to the captured doctor, who was laying stomach down on the cold, Greendale floor. Jeff forcibly turned the person over, while the 3 others flocked around him. He grabbed hold of the mask, and yanked it off.</p><p>“Abed?” Jeff, Annie and Britta explained in unison.</p><p>“Hello. Jeff. Annie. Britta. Duncan.” </p><p>“Abed, what the hell are you doing here?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“You told me you were going to a work party in LA! And why were you spying on us?” Annie added right after. </p><p>“Simple. I was lonely in Los Angeles, and decided to use my weekend off to go back to Greendale. But I realized that it was Halloween – the perfect chance to go undercover. I could attend the party and watch how the modified group would interact without me present. The perfect opportunity for a character study. I obviously couldn’t tell you, or my plan would be foiled.” Abed explained.</p><p>“And did you find anything?” Britta questioned; a look of confusion evident in her furrowed brows.</p><p>“I found many things. Jeff and Annie are closer than I assumed. Jeff is being attentive to Annie’s feelings. Annie is mad at Britta, Jeff consoled Annie but secretly wants her to move in with him. Duncan is desperate to get Britta’s attention, but Jeff’s presence around her makes him nervous. Britta is oblivious to all of it, likely due to her current impairment.” Abed detailed quickly.</p><p>“Okay, this is getting too weird for me. Cheerio.” Duncan said, and walked off, with the others, minus Abed, gaping at all the stuff Abed had just said.</p><p>“Okay, that’s ridiculous. You are reading into far too much stuff today, Abed.” Jeff said, laughing dismissively.</p><p>“Am I, Jeff?” Abed retorted with a blank stare.</p><p>Jeff remained silent. </p><p>“Uhm, how did you even get in here? Isn’t Frankie watching the entrance?” Annie questioned.</p><p>“Backdoor. I have keys, Annie. This shouldn’t surprise you.” Abed replied blankly.</p><p>“Okay, how about we head back to the party, and we can talk about everything?” Britta suggested.</p><p>“Actually, I was wondering if we could go back to the study room? I haven’t been there since I left.” Annie said right away, her eyes drifting from person to person.</p><p>“Okay.” Jeff replied. “I don’t have the keys on me though. Abed, do you have them?”</p><p>“Of course, Jeff.” Abed replied.</p><p>“Great, then we’ll head there right now!” Annie said cheerfully, and reached out to help Jeff up.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“Wow. It hasn’t really changed, huh.” Britta exclaimed as the first person entering the study room.<p>Jeff’s eyes drifted around the room quickly. “Looks the same to me.” </p><p>“It makes sense for it to look the same. The school can’t afford improvements. And no further shows are taking place here, redesigning the set would be pointless.” Abed commented.</p><p>“It feels weird to back here after all this time.” Annie said, after having silently taken in the room for a bit.</p><p>Jeff turned to her, and looked down into her eyes, seeing that they were glistened with the beginnings of tears. “Yeah. Last time I was here, I thought I was saying goodbye to you, Annie. And now I know how wrong I was that night.” </p><p>Annie smiled weakly at him. “It all worked out in the end, didn’t it?” </p><p>“I think so, yeah.” Jeff replied, and pulled her in for a hug. Annie dug her head into his chest, holding him closely as he protectively held his arms around her back.</p><p>“Wasn’t just Annie that left Greendale, jeesh Winger.” Britta commented.</p><p>“Jeff and I were only really friends. Jeff tried to let Annie go for a whole year, but couldn’t do it. But once he realized Annie was leaving, he thought he had lost his chance at being happy. Instead, Annie talked with him, and they had an emotional goodbye together here, which gave them both hope for the future.” Abed said analytically.</p><p>“Abed, you weren’t there. How would you know that?” Jeff asked him.</p><p>“Annie left without any of us, and talked with you alone. When we arrived, you were standing close, and separated instantly once the rest of us arrived. Annie was smiling, and so were you. You probably kissed, but I don’t have proof of that occurring.” </p><p>“You’re right. We had a talk, and I suggested that he should kiss me goodbye, before the rest of you arrived.” Annie confirmed.</p><p>Abed looked around the room, and looked at Britta, tilting his head. “Britta seems unsurprised. I take it she already knew.” </p><p>“Jeff told me what happened not long after you guys left.” Britta confirmed.</p><p>“Ah. I am the last to learn of the event. I guess it’s what happens when you’re no longer a main character. The main show might be gone, but instead we have a spin-off series based around Jeff and Annie. Very fan-servicey. Is this a rom-com now? Maybe we should bring back Troy, we need some absurdity to liven up the show. Or is Duncan filling that role now?” Abed started rambling.</p><p>Annie quickly dislodged herself from Jeff’s warm embrace and went over to Abed and hugged him tightly. He wasn’t as nice to hug, he was still very thin and boney, but he needed this. “Abed, we’re all doing spinoffs. Jeff and I have our little spinoff, Britta has hers as the tries to get a degree, you have your own spinoff in L.A. with completely new characters, and Troy has the most ambitious one of us all. He’ll be okay, Abed. I don’t know when or how, but Troy will return.” She said, holding him closely as she tried to explain to him. Abed stood there, completely limp in her arms, his eyes staring out into seemingly nothing. </p><p>Jeff found it all a little unnerving, how Abed had returned unannounced, and then seemingly had a minor breakdown in front of them. In a way, he could see himself in Abed. He imagined how he himself would feel if this was him, with minimal contact with the group aside from some group chat texts. You get informed about what’s going on, but you miss out on the moments. It was understandable that Abed felt a little weird about it. His main strength was watching, analyzing, but now he couldn’t watch them anymore. And his best friend was gone, possibly forever. Jeff couldn’t even imagine what he would do if he lost Annie forever. He didn’t want to imagine it.</p><p>“You’re right. Maybe he is out there. It’s unlikely, but unlikely isn’t impossible.” Abed said, his eyes now seeming in touch with the present day again. Less… haunted.</p><p>“Troy is a fighter. He’s out there, somewhere. Fighting his way back to us.” Britta said with assurance.</p><p>“Knowing him, he probably just forgot to bring a phone charger.” Jeff commented.</p><p>“Jeff!” Annie exclaimed.</p><p>“What, it’d explain the complete silence.” Jeff shrugged. </p><p>“I can work with that.” Abed responded instantly.</p><p>“But, uhm, have any of you two actually been here since Abed and me left?” Annie questioned Jeff and Britta.</p><p>“I haven’t even set foot in this building.” Jeff replied.</p><p>“I went here once, like the second day of the semester. But it was just me here alone, and it felt….weird. I haven’t been back until now.” Britta responded. </p><p>“It’s the natural progression of things. We don’t belong here now. Someone else will claim this room, but they won’t out-do us.” Abed offered as an explanation.</p><p>“Uhm, guys. What’s that in the corner?” Annie said, and pointed to a picture in the corner of the room. </p><p>Everybody turned around, and Britta hurried over to it, being the one who was closest. “Guys, it’s a picture of us!” She said, her mouth agape as she turned the picture over towards the other 3. They walked over, and each of them studied the picture intently. It was a picture taken from the doorway of the room, with Jeff, Britta, Abed, Troy, Pierce, Shirley and Annie sitting around the table, with everyone looking at the camera. Underneath it, there was a golden black with black writing that read <em>The Study Group, later known as the Save Greendale Committee. In commemoration of the study group that resided in Study Room F for 6 years, Greendale has made this plaque in their honor. The 6 years they spent here together was a wild ride, with ups and downs, but ultimately the school ended up stronger for it. For that, we cannot thank them enough. The group consisted of Jeff Winger, Britta Perry, Abed Nadir, Troy Barnes, Pierce Hawthorne, Shirley Bennett and Annie Edison. Special mentions to Ben Chang, Dean Craig Pelton, Frankie Dart, Ian Duncan, Buzz Hickey and Elroy Patashnik. </em></p><p>“Wow.” Jeff said.</p><p>“That’s pretty amazing. We’re part of this school forever.” Britta commented, a wide, proud smile on her face.</p><p>“I guess the Dean must have had it made.” Annie deduced.</p><p>“Definitely. Frankie isn’t sentimental enough to make it, and wasn’t here when the picture was taken. It also seems unlikely that Chang would have done it.” Abed determined in agreement with Annie.</p><p>“Either way, this is pretty awesome. Who knew that we would have this big of an impact on the school?” Britta said.</p><p>“<em>I</em> knew.”</p><p>The group turned around, and saw the familiar face of the Dean standing there. “I knew shortly after you guys arrived that you would impact this school greatly. All of you had a sort of magnetic force to you, and wherever you were, things happened. It’s why I always stopped by here whenever I had the time.”</p><p>“Which was often.” Jeff quipped.</p><p>“Yes, it was often, but it was a pleasant way to spend my day. You are far better company than Agnes, anyway.” </p><p>“Thank you for this, Dean. It means a lot to us.” Annie said sincerely, smiling giddily from the welcome surprise.</p><p>“Oh this, this was nothing. I had a few others made for you too. I hung one up on the prize shelf by the cafeteria, and I will be sending all of you some more as soon as they’re sent to us.” He explained.</p><p>“Aw!” Annie and Britta cooed in unison, and walked over to hug the Dean. Jeff and Abed followed shortly after, and joined them in a big group hug.</p><p>“Oh, Abed, I’m going to need your new address, to, you know, send them plaque to you.” The Dean pointed out as they stood there wrapped in the hug.</p><p>“I’ll text it to you.” Abed responded, and the Dean smiled as they all melted into the hug.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>The group walked back into the cafeteria, chatting loudly. It was evident that Craig had missed them all greatly, as he was more interested in hearing what they had been up to rather than talk about what was happening at Greendale. <em>Dreadfully boring</em>, as he had described life at Greendale without them there to run amok. As he told them, Leonard, Garrett, Annie-Kim and co hadn’t been up to much exciting (Annie scowled at him at the mention of Annie-Kim; he didn’t dare mention her again). Jeff and Britta already spent most of their time off campus, with Britta studying at the apartment since Annie either wasn’t around or was fairly quiet except for in the mornings. That left Frankie as the one Craig talked the most with, and she admittedly wasn’t the most exciting company. Chang was still around too, but he was a bit too far on the other side of the spectrum.<p>“Come on man, this stuff is horrible! I wouldn’t even let my hermit crabs eat this.” The group heard Chang loudly exclaim as they entered the cafeteria area.</p><p>“My rice cakes are a delicacy!” A screeching voice shouted out in response, and it was no doubt that it was Garrett.</p><p>“According to who? Your mom?” Chang snapped back. The group could see them now. Chang was dressed up as a pharaoh, in yet another case of him adopting a culture as his own. Likely he would start talking about how one of his forefathers lie buried in some pyramid later.</p><p>“Stacy told me!” Garrett loudly screeched back. He was dressed in a dark-green flight suit, with a US marine logo on it. Unfortunately, he had decided to compliment the flight suit with a pair of flip-up aviator sunglasses.</p><p>“Is he trying to do Top Gun?” Jeff asked the others with a whisper.</p><p>“I think so?” Annie replied, but she sounded very skeptical.</p><p>“Is he Maverick or Goose? He doesn’t have the hair to do Maverick, but nobody does Goose unless they go along with a Maverick. And Stacy is dressed as Snow White. I don’t get it. This is wrong.” Abed added.</p><p>“Now that….is an ill thought out costume. I expected better from a Greendale student. Why, we have costume standards around here!” Craig hissed in an unusual amount of frustration from him. Jeff found it a tad surprising – he had allowed Britta to wear the worst costume year after year without comment, but presumably she got an exception since she was in the group. </p><p>Chang turned around to Stacy. “Lying to your husband already? I know he’s not the best, but take it from me, you need to be honest in your marriage. And you can’t let your husband poison the whole school, it’s not cool man.”</p><p>“AAAAAA you will <em>not</em> speak to Stacy that way!” Garrett screeched loudly in anger. “This. Means. Waaaaaar!!!” He added, and picked up a drink from the table beside him, raising it in the air. The Dean gasped, likely seeing what was going to happen. But before Garrett could move his arm, Chang had reached inside of his costume, and with a quick flick of the wrist, he flipped out an object that looked like a gold coated gun, and shot Garrett clean in the chest. His flight-suit and light blue shirt instantly turned red as paint splattered all over his upper body. The sting and shock of being shot caused Garrett to drop the drink he was holding over his head, spilling it over his own head. Garrett simply stood there, mouth agape, eyes closed as he got drenched in soda.</p><p>“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Why does this have to keep happening!?” Craig instantly shouted out, weeping in frustration.</p><p>“Oh, for fucks sake. Chang, you bloody imbecile.” Duncan loudly exclaimed.</p><p>“Paintball war. Nice.” Star-Burns suddenly said, having appeared beside the group during the chaos. Yet, nobody seemed to notice. The room turned silent. Nobody knew what to do. Chang was backpedaling out of the mass of people, and quickly. Then suddenly, a loud voice filled the room.</p><p>“PAINTBALL WAR! POP! POP!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Right, so this became somewhat of a monstrosity. While I had a fairly big scope for this chapter, an idea was accidentally given to me as I was writing it. I experimented a little with a few different endings to the chapter, and well, you got this. Special, special thanks to the Community Discord fan-fics channel for their help with this chapter! Wouldn't have been possible without you guys.</p><p>Next time: Halloween paintball!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21 - Halloween Paintball</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Greendale descends into chaos, as the group is forced to flee from the cafeteria, hunted down like animals. Yet they can only remained the hunted for so long, before they themselves become the hunters.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here it is, finally. It's a long one, to put it mildly, but I hope it's an enjoyable read. The chapter involves a lot of traversal around campus, so I suggest using the map linked below to help you understand where the action takes place. It was used extensively during the writing of this chapter to be able to properly describe where things were going on. If there's an inconsistencies between the show, the map and this fic, I apologize, but the show was never especially good at explaining which buildings things happened in. For that reason, I went by the map as my basis to the best of my ability.</p><p>https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/61xZiQeiLQL._AC_.jpg</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Before they knew it, the room was filled with paint. People were shooting wildly, everywhere they could see there were paintball bullets flying. How so many paintball guns had been smuggled in was beyond any of them, as there hadn’t been many cowboys wearing weapons around. Yet Chang had brought his golden gun, cleverly concealed under his outfit, and as had seemingly many others. Yet Annie couldn’t say that she was surprised, this was Greendale after all. And paintball, for better or worse, was ingrained in the place’s identity. Probably for the worse for the janitors, but perhaps they’d be more accepting of it given they had their fun earlier in the year?</p><p>“Jeff, Annie, you have guns, protect us!” Craig cried out as they saw the room erupt into a warzone from behind the counter of Shirley’s sandwiches.</p><p>“We don’t have any ammo!” Annie instantly replied.</p><p>“Guys, follow me!” Britta said, having stepped behind the counter to Shirley’s sandwiches.</p><p>“Britta, we can’t hide in the kitchen forever.” Jeff hissed between his teeth.</p><p>“No but follow me. To the back room!” Britta demanded, and lacking any other suggestions, the others decided to follow. They ran into the kitchen and heard the shooting gradually stop outside in the cafeteria. </p><p>“Quick, barricade the door!” Annie demanded once they had all stepped between the curtains and into the kitchen.</p><p>Jeff took to action immediately, and tugged out the refrigerator from where it stood, and with some assistance from Abed and Craig, started pushing it in front of the curtains. “Shirley better have good insurance for this place…” Jeff said as he pushed with all he had.</p><p>“Guys! Follow me!” Britta said once they had pushed it in place and thrown a wheeled shelf looking thing in front of it to make it harder to move from the other side. The group followed her, and stepped through a door, with Abed locking it behind them. </p><p>“Isn’t this where we had a bar?” Jeff questioned as they hurriedly walked down the stairs in unison, and reached another door, which was locked.</p><p>“Yes, it’s the storage room for Shirley’s Sandwiches now.” Britta said, while Abed unlocked the door. </p><p>“Ah right, you work for Shirley. I keep forgetting.” Jeff said, like it had just dawned on him as they stepped inside. </p><p>Being the first one in the group, Britta turned around to respond. “I’m here most lunch breaks. Jerk.” She said with a scrunched-up nose and a scowl, then knocked her back into a shelf, releasing a slight hiss of pain.</p><p>“Uhm, how exactly does Shirley’s food helps us in this case? Are you trying to bunker us up in here? Because I’m pretty sure someone could easily break down that door.” Annie worriedly questioned.</p><p>Britta sighed. “Just follow me.” </p><p>They walked between some shelves, until they reached the back end of the room, where there was a wooden crate. Britta picked up a crowbar and handed it to Jeff. “Open it.” She demanded, nodding her head to the crate. Reluctantly, Jeff did as she said, and stuck the crowbar under the lid, and yanked it open.</p><p>“Holy crap.” Jeff exclaimed as he saw the sight that met him under the lid of the previously nailed shut wooden box. </p><p>“Paintball guns? Here? Seriously?” Annie questioned with an air of incredulousness. </p><p>“This doesn’t make sense. Paintball at Halloween. They’re supposed to be separate. Specials done occasionally, but never together, to keep the show fresh and exciting. But never together. It doesn’t make sense. Halloween doesn’t need paintball. Paintball doesn’t need Halloween. And why was Chang carrying the golden gun? Is this a rehash of season 1 Chang? And paintball guns in the kitchen storage room. This is too practical. Someone planned this, orchestrated it.” Abed interjected instantly, his eyes flat as he tried but failed to make sense of what was going on.</p><p>“Craig?” Jeff asked angrily between his teeth, staring daggers at Craig, who had hidden away slightly once the box was opened.</p><p>“It was my fault <em>okay?</em>” Craig loudly admitted, his voice broken and upset. “We collected all the guns in the school after the last time, but we couldn’t sell them because a lot of them were illegally acquired, and we couldn’t let it leak that we had another paintball game. It’s bad PR, Jeff, horrible for convincing parents that their kid should go here. We decided to keep them until we could sell them, just more <em>low key</em>, you know. I tried keeping them in my office, but I didn’t have space for all of them because of my, ehm, costumes. Sooooo, I hid them.” He divulged to the rest very hesitantly.</p><p>“I found them here during a shift. Like, really. You put a giant, wooden crate here and you didn’t think <em>anyone</em> would find out?” Britta told them, staring daggers at Craig.</p><p>“This crate looks untouched though. The guns out there can’t be from here.” Annie added.</p><p>“I may or may not have put them in several different crates, hidden in storage areas around campus.” Craig hesitantly told them.</p><p>“You’re unbelievable. How hasn’t Frankie gone crazy yet?” Annie said in complete and utter exasperation with Craig’s rapidly worsening admissions.</p><p>“By spreading out the guns to avoid someone from finding his whole collection, he has increased the chances of someone finding the guns to begin with. And we have a whole secret underground passage under the teachers' lounge. Why not hide it there?” Abed questioned.</p><p>“I didn’t think that far, <em>okay!?</em> I just didn’t want this happening <em>again</em>.” Craig said, his voice cracking as he appeared to be on the verge of crying.</p><p>“That’s the problem, isn’t it? You don’t think.” Jeff said in a scathing tone.</p><p>Before anyone could respond, they heard the doorhandle move. As soon as they turned to see what the noise came from, they heard someone trying to break the door open.</p><p>“Quick, grab what you can and go!” Jeff commanded, seeing how someone was slamming their body against the door to break it open. Thankfully it was locked and barricaded, but it wouldn’t last forever. Jeff and Annie both grabbed good amounts of ammunition, while the others each grabbed a gun and ammunition to go with it. Before the door could be broken down, they were out the entrance to the outside, locking it shut before pushing a dumpster in front of it and sprinting away as fast as their respective costumes allowed them to.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>A few minutes later, they came crashing into the administration building, having taken the cafeteria warehouse delivery entrance and bolted as quickly as they could. They saw some people in the distance, but didn’t appear to be spotted themselves, as things were still going on in the cafeteria. They rapidly rushed through the building, making sure it was as inaccessible for whoever might follow them as possible. They ran into the Dean’s office in a hurry, not bothering to shut the door behind them.<p>“Okay, what the hell was that in there?” Jeff angrily questioned Craig once they were safely inside his office. </p><p>“I don’t <em>know</em>, okay!?” Craig exclaimed, once again seemingly on the verge of breaking down as he backed further into the room.</p><p>“Jeff, knock it off.” Britta demanded.</p><p>“Why? This is his mess?” </p><p>“And shouting at him won’t change anything.” Britta pointed out. “Especially in his current state.” She added, peering over at Craig, who was cowering in fear in corner from Jeff’s confrontational approach.</p><p>“She’s right, Jeff.” Annie interjected. “We have to figure this out some other way.” </p><p>Jeff sighed dramatically. “<em>Fine</em>. What should we do then? Fight to the death?”</p><p>“You’ll do no such thing.” A commanding voice suddenly loudly said, before Frankie angrily walked inside the room, giving the whole group an angry glare. “You’ll go put a stop to this mess you’ve created right now, before the whole campus is ruined and the janitors go on strike again.”</p><p>“Frankie? What happened to you?” Annie said in visible shock, her wide eyes staring right at Frankie’s paint covered witch outfit.</p><p>“They <em>shot</em> me, that’s what happened.” Frankie angrily responded to the obvious question. “They won’t listen to me, so you must end this. They’re blaming this little group of yours for starting it, and I have no trouble believing them.” </p><p>“Who are <em>‘they’</em>?” Annie questioned.</p><p>“I don’t know. Virtually everybody in the cafeteria accused your group of starting this.”</p><p>“And what exactly do you expect us to do about it?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“Talk with them, clear up whatever made this stuff happen.” </p><p>“But it wasn’t even us that started it! It was Garrett and Chang arguing, and then everybody in the cafeteria suddenly were armed!” Britta loudly protested.</p><p>“And somehow all of you are armed now. And I know for a fact that Jeff and Annie had guns on them when they arrived.”</p><p>“They weren’t loaded!” Annie protested.</p><p>“Do you really expect me to believe that after what happened out there? You two arrive openly bearing arms, and <em>suddenly</em> a paintball fight breaks out. How naïve do you think I am?”</p><p>“It wasn’t us!” Annie protested further.</p><p>“I don’t care. Talk to the people in the cafeteria, end this silly squabble.” Frankie continued demanding. </p><p>“This is war, Frankie. You can’t end war by agreements. Its winner takes all, you fight until the other side die, or you perish.” Abed suddenly told her.</p><p>“Yes, I know that’s what you think. You start fights so you can go around having fun while destroying everything people here work their ass off for. Everything here has been <em>perfect</em> recently, and then the moment you guys reunite again, all hell breaks loose!” Frankie dramatically theorized.</p><p>“We don’t start fights. We finish them.” Abed replied instantly.</p><p>“Look, I don’t much care who started it, I just want it to end, now. End all of this, go over there and talk them into ending this stupid ‘war’ of yours right now.” Frankie sneered, becoming increasingly agitated with the resistance she was facing.</p><p>“Only the dead have seen the end of war.” Abed said flatly in response.</p><p>“Abed, why don’t you go stand guard, and we’ll talk with Frankie.” Jeff said.</p><p>Abed stared at them for a few seconds, his face unreadable. “Okay.” He finally said in agreement, and walked out the side entrance, placing himself the secretary’s desk as he peered out towards the second entrance to the Dean’s office.</p><p>With Abed out of the room, Jeff looked back at Frankie. “Look, I don’t know what you want us to do. If they even shot you, they’ll shoot us too. And we didn’t start this. Chang did, and none of us have spoken with him today.” </p><p>“He’s in the group, Jeff. I know that, you know that. They shot me because they think I’m in the group. He’s your responsibility, and everybody in this school looks at you as the leader of this group, and because of that, it’s up to you to own up and end this.”</p><p>“Frankie, that’s insane. None of us here have even fired a shot, let alone shot anyone.” Jeff countered. </p><p>Suddenly, they heard a gunshot from outside of the Dean’s office.</p><p>“Ow, what the hell!? What was that for?” A voice loudly exclaimed. Jeff turned his head, and through the blinders he saw the upset face of Dave, from his third-year law class, with a big, pink mark on the chest of his Spider-Man outfit.</p><p>Jeff turned back to Frankie. “Okay, <em>now</em> we’ve shot someone.” He corrected.</p><p>Frankie scowled at him, then pushed past him to walk out of the room.</p><p>“Abed, why did you shoot Dave?” Frankie questioned once she got to him.</p><p>“Simple. Jeff told me to stand guard. Dave ran onto our territory, I shot him.” Abed responded.</p><p>“I was just coming here to warn you guys! I’m not even armed!” Dave said, visibly upset over getting shot.</p><p>“Sorry Dave, we can’t be too careful. This is war. If you want mercy, carry a white flag.” Annie told him with a shrug of her shoulders.</p><p>“Why would I want to shoot you guys? Professor Winger is my favorite teacher, I just wanted to warn you.” Dave repeated.</p><p>“Warn us about what?” Annie asked him right away.</p><p>“People are coming here; they’re assembling an army to take you down.” Dave began explaining. “I wasn’t supposed to be there since I declined joining. They shot me, just to be sure. See, I have another mark on me.” He continued and turned around to show a bright yellow spot on his back. “I just wanted to warn you. I saw what happened there, I know you guys didn’t do anything directly. You can’t control Chang, man. It can’t be done. I was in his math class a few years ago, dude’s nuts.”</p><p>Dave seemed like he had more to say, but Annie decided to interrupt. “Hold on a minute there, do you know who’s assembling the army?” </p><p>“It’s Annie-Kim, man. She’s crazy. She went on and on about how you guys just came here to cause trouble and ruin her party, and she’s rallying up people to take revenge for it. And Garrett’s extra mad since you both crashed his wedding and ruined his costume.” </p><p>Annie’s muscles tensed up at the mention of Annie-Kim. As Dave explained what she was up to, she felt her jaw clench, and she was staring daggers at Dave, despite him being gracious enough to inform them. “Thank you…for telling us that.” She managed to say through gritted teeth.</p><p>“Are we just going to gloss over that he called Jeff his favorite teacher?” Britta questioned from behind the others.</p><p>“Shut up Britta.” Jeff replied instantly. Britta snickered a bit at his outburst.</p><p>“Look, you guys figure this out. I’m going home. If there’s as much as a stain of paint here when I get to work on Monday, I’m reporting every single one of you for vandalism. Have a nice day.” Frankie said coldly, then stormed out. Shortly thereafter, Dave put on a forced smile, and left too.</p><p>The room remained silent for a bit, before Britta suddenly spoke. “Jeesh. Someone’s in a crappy mood.”</p><p>While the room descended into a stunned silence, Abed walked into the Dean’s office and began to undress.</p><p>“Abed, what are you doing?” Annie asked him, a tinge of worry in her tone.</p><p>“I’m modifying. My costume is too big. It’s not suited for warfare.” Abed responded as he pulled off the massive black trench coat he had been wearing. Luckily for the group, Abed was wearing a black t-shirt underneath, untypically for him without any patterns on it, though he likely hadn’t expected to be showing it off. However, he then proceeded to pull off the shirt too, leaving the others in the room in slight shock.</p><p>“Abed? What are you doing?” Jeff mirrored Annie in asking.</p><p>“I already told you, I’m modifying.” Abed replied, and reached for a scissor on Craig’s desk, before he proceeded to start cutting off the sleeves on his t-shirt. </p><p>But before Abed could finish up, they heard the main entrance to the administration office being forcefully opened. “They’re in here somewhere! Find them!” A loud, male voice commanded.</p><p>Everybody in the group appeared to hear it and ducked down behind whatever cover they could find. Abed ducked down behind the desk, still shirtless, while Jeff and Annie snuck out the door of Craigs’ office and hid on opposite sides of the desk. Meanwhile, inside the office, Craig was whimpering in fear in the corner, with Britta, still in her hot dog costume crouched in front of him.</p><p>“If you make so much as a sound, I can and will shoot you right in the balls.” Britta hissed to Craig, causing him to shut up instantly, his eyes widened in fear of the most threatening hot dog he had ever come across.</p><p>“These doors are open.” A voice called out from the hallway, pushing the first door completely open, before he was joined by two others.</p><p>Jeff looked at Annie, who returned his look. <em>On three</em>, he silently mouthed, and Annie nodded. He raised his left hand to her sight and started counting. <em>One. Two. Three.</em> They both instantly popped up, Annie hitting the first person in the chest, the second in the shoulder, while Jeff hit the third right in the stomach.</p><p>“THEY’RE IN HERE!” One of the called out, and more people came storming inside. Before they as much as rounded the corner, the were met with a hailstorm of bullets, with both Jeff and Annie firing the five shots they had chambered each in rapid succession. </p><p>Annie ducked down, and started rapidly fiddling with the chambers, pushing in round after round from her pockets. Just as soon as Annie had started reloading, Jeff ducked down too, and he looked at Annie reloading her gun hurriedly, his eyes widened in fear. There were two more people left, and both him and Annie were unable to fire back.</p><p>“They’re reloading, get them!” One of the two called out, and Jeff could hear them starting to move quickly towards the desk they were both hiding behind, urgently trying load rounds into the chamber, the stress causing them both to fumble to process. They were screwed, eliminated early because they were reckless with their ammo. </p><p>The enemies were getting closer and closer, and they were both resigned to their fate now, smiling weakly at each other. Then suddenly, two shots were fired. But they weren’t hit.</p><p>“Seriously guys? You have two guns each, and yet I have to save you?” Britta groaned from the opening of the office door, having fired two shots accurately at the two last enemies.</p><p>Jeff and Annie looked up at Britta, who looked like a slightly annoyed, very menacing hot-dog. They then looked at each other, then down at their holsters. Britta was right – they were both carrying two revolvers. They looked at each other again, both grinning sheepishly, before Annie fell into a fit of giggles, Jeff following her shortly thereafter with a big grin and a chuckle of his own at their combined stupidity.</p><p>“Guys, we need to focus. They’ll be sending more people soon now that they know where we are!” Britta reminded them.</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Jeff got up and offered a hand to Annie to help her up. They walked back into the office while finishing the reloading of their first gun, and found Abed there, still topless. Abed was holding up his shirt in front of him, now sleeveless and with bigger holes for his arms, and studying it intently. “Perfect.” He stated, then pulled the modified shirt back on.</p><p>“Abed? Why did you cut off the sleeves on your shirt?” Annie questioned, eyeing him skeptically.</p><p>“I’m modifying it for warfare. No good war heroes wear t-shirts, Annie. But I’m not finished yet, give me a moment.” Abed said, then picked up the sleeves he had cut off, and eyed them carefully. “No, this won’t do.” He said, before throwing them away, then bent down his discarded costume, scissors in hand, before he started clipping it up.</p><p>“Abed! What are you doing? You’re ruining your costume!” Annie said, her mouth agape at what he was doing. The others simply looked at his work with furrowed brows and confused expressions.</p><p>“It has outlived its usefulness. It was meant for me to be incognito. I no longer need it, but it can serve me in other ways.” He replied, then picked up the neatly cut, thick stripe of black fabric to his forehead. He then reached it around his head and tied it in place. “There, perfect.”</p><p>“You’re doing Karate Kid or something?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“No, that wouldn’t fit the theme. This is war, not a karate tournament. I can’t just sweep their legs. We need something more real, brutal, unrelenting and terrifying.” Abed declared.</p><p>“Then who are you?” Britta asked.</p><p>“Your worst nightmare.”</p><p>“Ah, Rambo. Nice one.” Jeff replied right away. The others, minus Abed, looked at him curiously. “What? Excuse me for being a teenager in the 80’s.”</p><p>“I can kind of see it.” Craig commented from the floor.</p><p>“Okay, back to the whole Annie Kim and her army-issue, what the hell do we do?” Jeff asked, wanting them to regain some focus. </p><p>“We murder Annie-Kim.” Annie instantly responded with a sneer.</p><p>“Annie’s right. The only way we end this is by eliminating Annie-Kim. That way, their leadership would fall apart, making their forces split into smaller groups and becoming vulnerable.” Abed said, analyzing the situation quickly.</p><p>“Yeah, great idea. Let’s just walk right into the cafeteria and shoot Annie-Kim. Great idea guys, I’m sure all the people there will just stand aside and let us get to her.” Jeff remarked sarcastically and sourly.</p><p>“And what do you say we do then, Mr. Smartass?” Annie snarled at him.</p><p>“We pull back. If Dave’s info is right, they’ll be coming here soon. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be here when that happens. We need to get out of here, now.” </p><p>“Yeah Jeff’s right, we can’t stay here. We should go.” Britta agreed.<br/>
“Of course you two agree.” Annie murmured to herself.</p><p>“A tactical retreat might be best, that way we can regroup and prepare to attack.” Abed added.</p><p>“Fine, let’s go.” Jeff commanded.</p><p>“WAIT!” The dean screamed out from within his office. “Don’t leave!”</p><p>“Either you come with us now, or you stay here alone.” Jeff replied.</p><p>“But I don’t want to leave, we can hide in my office.” Craig countered.</p><p>“They’ll check here first, we’re not staying. Take your gun and hide in your office if you want to, but if you stay here, you’re on your own.”</p><p>“Jeffrey….”</p><p>“Try to take someone down with your before they reach you.” Jeff told him. “Let’s go guys.” He ordered to the rest and walked off, leaving a stunned and hurt Craig alone in his office.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Based on Annie’s advice, the group, now consisting of the foursome of Jeff, Annie, Abed and Britta, made their way to the chemistry building. Annie especially looked conflicted being back there. It was there that she had spent a lot of her time in her last two years at Greendale, since the forensics classes mostly took place in that building. Yet, as fate would have it, she had made herself familiar with the place over two years earlier, when she rigged the whole place up as a safehouse for her operations around campus.<p>“You should have seen it; she had rigged this place with all kinds of traps she had made herself. Including a cord-based warning system, but I managed to exploit that. Very MacGyver of her.” Abed detailed as they walked into the building. </p><p>Once they were safely inside on the second floor of the building in the lab Annie claimed was the best place for them to set up shop, they all gathered around a table.</p><p>Jeff leaned over the table, determined to take the leadership role of their oddball group, as nobody else seemed to step up. Abed was too busy trying to locate a knife, Annie was still seething with anger and seemed ready to snap at any moment, while Britta was, well, Britta. “Okay, we need to figure out a way to deal with this. Right now, assume that <em>everyone</em> on campus is our enemy. However, we need a plan to strike. If we walk around here aimlessly, they’ll pick us off one by one. We need to turn that back around.”</p><p>“We’re being hunted. But we should be the ones hunting them.” Abed added.</p><p>“Right. I say we split up. We can’t have all of us at the same place, or we’ll be easy to track. If we split up, we can pick them off, make it harder for them to find us. They’ve no doubt spread out by now, looking for us.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“Groups of two would be good, that usually works.” Annie said.</p><p>“I agree. All for?” Jeff asked them.</p><p>“Yup.”</p><p>“Agreed.” </p><p>“Yes Sir.”</p><p>“Great, so I was thinking-“ </p><p>“Dibs on Annie.” Abed said right away.</p><p>Jeff glared at him. “Actually, I’d like to go with Annie if you don’t mind.”</p><p>“I called dibs, Jeff. And I haven’t seen Annie in months.”</p><p>“Hey!” Britta called out in offense to being actively avoided by them both.</p><p>“It doesn’t fit the motif though, if you split up the two western dressed people. We should be a tag team.” Jeff insisted. He really needed to go with Annie. He saw how tense she had become once Annie-Kim was mentioned, and how even the slightest annoyance seemed to set her off. He’d seen her like this before, but this time he wanted to do something about it, and simply talk with her privately and ease her down. He needed her to know he was on her side in her quest for revenge, despite his objection to the suicide mission she had suggested earlier. The last thing she needed right now was for Abed to egg her on towards a hate fueled revenge crusade, as Abed did his Rambo roleplaying. <em>Hopefully</em> that wouldn’t involve any stabbing despite Abed’s search for a knife.</p><p>“Have you two selfish idiots thought anything about what <em>I</em> want?” Annie interrupted angrily; her jaw clenched as she stared daggers at them both. As much as she was adorable when her Disney eyes when she wanted to be, intense, angry Annie was absolutely petrifying despite her petite size and usually kind demeanor.</p><p>Jeff and Abed both froze in terror, locked in place by her piercing gaze. Jeff, after a few seconds, was the first to speak. “I’m sorry Annie. I just want to talk with you, privately.”</p><p>Annie laughed, but the whole room could feel the edge in her laugh. “Yeah, because just <em>saying</em> so is so damn difficult!”</p><p>“I’m sorry. Annie, can you please come with me so we can talk?”</p><p>Annie’s expression softened a bit, and Jeff swore he could see her eyes glisten a tiny bit as she nodded a silent yes. </p><p>Abed had studied their exchange intently, even though he likely should have been part of it too and decided to just accept the result based on Annie’s agreement with Jeff. “I assume this means I go with Britta.” He remarked flatly.</p><p>Britta’s fists had been balled up tight underneath the table during that whole exchange, as she glared at the arguing trio. “You say that like it’s a problem! I’m <em>good</em> at this, Abed! I nearly won – twice!” She burst out angrily.</p><p>“It’s your costume.” Abed responded.</p><p>“What? So, you don’t want me on your team because I’m not dressed sexy like Annie?” Britta shouted.<br/>
Annie gasped.<br/>
“Why is it that Halloween is that one time a year when everybody expects women to dress sexy, and even other women don’t say anything about it if you dress slutty? It’s like kids dress up to get candy, while women are expected to dress up slutty to be eye-candy for every dude at Halloween. It’s so fucking sexist and gross, and I hate it!” Britta continued ranting.</p><p>“You’re dressed like a hot-dog.” Abed remarked coolly. </p><p>“<em>And?</em>” </p><p>“It’s not exactly suited for paintball.” Jeff added.</p><p>Britta groaned. “If I change out of it, am I acceptable then?” </p><p>“Yes.” Abed replied instantly.</p><p>“You have something underneath it, right?” Annie asked.</p><p>“No, <em>Annie</em>, I’m going nude underneath my hot dog costume. Come on.” Britta replied.</p><p>“Sorry.” Annie said sheepishly. </p><p>“Okay, you change out of that, and we’ll clear the room meanwhile. Shout if you need help getting out of it, we’ll send in Annie.” Jeff said.  </p><p>“Deal.”</p><p>“Just for the record, it wasn’t about dressing sexy or anything like that. You’re just a bit slow when you walk around in that costume, and you stick out a lot.” Jeff clarified.</p><p>“It’s fine, I get it. Sorry for lashing out.”</p><p>“Britta, it’s okay. I agree with you. I think you’re brave for protesting it every year.” Annie smiled.</p><p>“Thanks guys.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Once Britta was changed out of her hot dog costume and had tucked it away out of sight – it was a rental she didn’t want ruined or stolen – the group split up. Britta, now dressed in a plain black t-shirt and dark, went off with Abed, or Rambo as he now preferred, towards Borchert Hall to take the direct approach. Meanwhile, Jeff and Annie headed towards EMG Hall on the east side of campus, with the end goal of sneaking around the main groups of people they assumed would flock around the cafeteria – if that even was where Annie Kim held base still. The group had collectively agreed to keep fighting away from the new library, to keep the study room intact.<p>“So, what did you want to talk about?” Annie questioned as they finally entered the hall together.</p><p>“Ehm, you. I’m worried about you, Annie.” Jeff replied, while checking the corners as they passed by various rooms.</p><p>“Jeff, I’m fine.”</p><p>Jeff sighed. Of course, she’d deny it. “No, you’re not. You’ve been angry ever since Dave told us about Annie-Kim being behind this.”</p><p>“It pisses me off, Jeff. I want to shoot her in her stupid face for going after me like this just because I attended her stupid party. Why is that a problem? You’re angry at stuff often too.” Annie said between her teeth, practically hissing at him for bringing up that person.</p><p>“It’s okay that you’re angry, Annie. But you need to think. We can’t just rush at them. You’re smart, Annie. You know better than that.” </p><p>Annie knocked her small frame into a locked door, but it wouldn’t budge. “Damnit. Look, Jeff. I just want to shoot her. Then I’d like to go home and just take a bath.”</p><p>Jeff checked the door on the other side of the hallway, also locked, before they continued through the seemingly empty dormitory. “I know, but if you want to do that, we need to be smart about it. I’m with you, I’ll make sure to shoot her some extra for you. But we play it carefully, okay? If we’re reckless, we won’t get the chance.” </p><p>“Ugh. I know, Jeff.” Annie groaned.</p><p>“Do you? Because it didn’t look like that earlier, when it seemed like you wanted to run headfirst into the fire.”</p><p>“Yeah, like you’re always so measured and careful.” Annie bit back instantly.</p><p>“I am when I want to win. And I know you can be when you set your heart on something.”<br/>
“I was angry, Jeff. I’m allowed to be. You said so yourself.” Annie said, her eyes still drifting elsewhere in search of other people.</p><p>Jeff stopped. “Annie, that’s not the problem. You were mad at her, that’s one thing. But you turned it back on the rest of us when we didn’t agree with you. We’re on your side, Annie.”</p><p>Annie turned around and looked at him. She looked a bit surprised, vulnerable. “I’m not mad at you, Jeff. It’s just…. she has this effect on me.”</p><p>“I know. You hate her. But I love you, and I don’t like it when you take your anger out on me or the others.” He told her sincerely.</p><p>Annie looked at him briefly, then down at her feet. “I’m sorry.” She began carefully. “I didn’t mean to. It’s not you I’m mad at.” </p><p>“It’s okay. Just promise me you’ll try to keep calm. If anything is wrong, tell me. I’m here for you.”</p><p>Annie gave him a slow, lazy smile. “Thank you. I promise I’ll try my best. Thank you for being here with me, I appreciate it.”</p><p>Jeff returned her smile, as a wave of relief rolled through him. “Anytime.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“Annie, get back.” Jeff whispered, then pulled her to him behind a corner. “Contact, right hallway. I don’t think they saw us.”<p>“How do you want to do it?” Annie whispered back.</p><p>“Preferably they come to us. If we’re caught in the hallway, we’re screwed.</p><p>“Okay. Let’s wait here and see if they appear.”</p><p>“You’re smaller, can you keep a look out around the corner?”</p><p>“You have short hair, I don’t. You do it.”</p><p>“Fine.” Jeff said, then peeked briefly around the corner. “I think they’re checking the rooms, looking for us.”</p><p>“Okay. Stay quiet.” </p><p>Jeff and Annie waited for a bit, as the people they had spotted were still some way down the hallway. Jeff carefully listened for them, while Annie peeked the other way, careful so they wouldn’t get spotted. Finally, some people appeared to be within earshot. </p><p>“Do you think anyone’s actually here?” One of them asked.</p><p>“No, I don’t see why they would bother. But she demanded we spread out and search every building on campus, so we better do as she says. You know how she gets if things don’t go her way, you’ll be completely shut out.”</p><p>“True. I just hope they’re not here, don’t want my costume ruined you know.”</p><p>Jeff tapped Annie’s shoulder gently, causing her to turn and look up at him. Jeff nodded his head toward the corner. Annie nodded in confirmation. The two of them rapidly rounded corner and fired at their unsuspecting foes. The first two were hit clean, never suspecting a thing, but unlike what Jeff and Annie suspected, there weren’t just two. There were more of them further down the hallway.</p><p>“Contact!” Someone further down the hallway shouted. “Two men down!”</p><p>Jeff and Annie crawled back to cover as shots splattered on the wall, but this time they went to opposite sides. Jeff on the right where they had originally come from, Annie on the left. </p><p>“Damnit.” Annie muttered.</p><p>“Stay calm. Let them come to us.” Jeff told her.</p><p>As expected, they could hear footsteps heading down the hallway, no doubt aiming for them. Jeff made a move to peek out, but was met with a storm of shots, causing him to back into cover again. He looked at Annie, who seemed like she was trying to tell him something wordlessly. <em>You peek, I shoot.</em> Jeff nodded. Once again, he moved to peek out, causing them to fire his way instantly. Right that moment, Annie appeared, two revolvers in hand, and she shot the two surprised foes in their chest.</p><p>“Guess it’s not your lucky day boys.” Annie smirked.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“Enemies across the street, outside the science hall.” Annie said, peeking through the glass door of EMG Hall.<p>“How many?” </p><p>“Five that I can see.” </p><p>“Okay, let’s get them.” Jeff said, and gripped the door handle. Just as soon as he did, Annie gripped his wrist.</p><p>“Jeff, we need to be careful. We move behind something when we know they’re not looking. There might be more of them further up the quad, we can’t make too much noise.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“Let’s go.” Annie said, and Jeff peeked through the window again. They weren’t looking this way, so he slowly gripped the door, and pushed it open. Thankfully the door was quiet, and he let Annie sneak out first, before heading out himself, shutting the door gently behind him. He followed Annie to the left of the door, behind some bushes that would hopefully give them enough cover.</p><p>“You take the two on the left, I’ll the take two others.” Annie commanded.</p><p>“What about the fifth guy?” </p><p>“Whoever shoots their two first shoots him.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“Ready?” Annie asked. Jeff nodded. “On three. One, two, three.”  </p><p>The two of them popped up, and Jeff deftly hit one guy, then another, while Annie hit hers. Before they could turn their attention to the last one standing a bit off the others, whom they now recognized was Magnitude dressed as a mafia henchman, noticed what was going on, and started hurriedly firing in their direction, forcing the two of them to duck down.</p><p>“Pop! Pop! I’ve found them. The others have been popped! They’re across the street! They’re converging on me; I need backup before I pop my last pop!” Magnitude shouted towards the science hall as he slid behind a garbage can. </p><p>“Fuck.” Jeff groaned. “We need to get out of here before that loud ass idiot attracts the whole campus.”</p><p>“If we head further down, we’ll reach the parking lot, and further up there’s bound to be more people. We need to cross here, somehow.”</p><p>“Covering fire?” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“Go for it. You shoot, I’ll cross over and get the angle on him.” </p><p>Jeff did as she said, and jumped up from behind the hedge, firing a rapid succession of shots in the general direction of the garbage can Magnitude was hiding behind, forcing him to stay behind there as Annie crossed over to the other side. With surprisingly quick feet, Annie got to the other side of the road, leapt over the hedge, firing a few rounds towards Magnitude as she did.</p><p>“Ow! Ow! I’ve been popped!” Magnitude cried out, as a succession of shots hit him. “Pop! Po…..p” He dramatically added, before collapsing to the ground.</p><p>Before the magnitude of their actions could truly hit them, the door to the building burst open, and a sizeable group of people started firing towards Annie, having no doubt heard the shooting from inside. Annie had barely managed to hide herself again as the door opened, but she knew they were advancing. </p><p>However, Jeff had quickly reloaded, and shot the vampire advancing towards Annie, causing the other 3 to take cover. Jeff and Annie couldn’t communicate now, but he knew he could count on her to do her part. He swiftly reloaded his second gun, then made a sprint up to the opposite side of the door they had originally come out of, firing as he ran, hitting a Nordic warrior in the knee with a stray shot, but otherwise missing. However, it was the distraction Annie needed, as she pushed up too, her tiny legs bringing her up to the side of the second person quickly, shooting him point blank in his upper arm, before Jeff popped up again and shot the last guy. </p><p>Jeff and Annie looked at each other, with Annie nodding towards where she had come from. They made a sprint for it, knowing they had to get away, and fast, before anyone else further up in the quad discovered what had happened. This time they stayed out of the building, knowing it would just slow them down, passing right by the defeated troops that were sauntering towards the parking lot, as they ran around the outside of the Alternate Science Building. They ran to the side of Joseph Hall and sat in between some bushes as they caught their breath from the sprint. </p><p>They hadn’t sat there more than a minute before suddenly a person came up to them. “Ah there you are.” He said, and instantly Jeff and Annie lifted their guns towards him. “Don’t shoot, I’m not part of this.”</p><p>“Aren’t you that reporter that was here last year?” Annie asked.</p><p>“Yes, my name is Tim Briggs. I’m a reporter for the Greendale Gazette Journal Mirror.” </p><p>“Give me one reason why we don’t shoot you right here and now.” Jeff threatened.</p><p>“I’m merely an unarmed reporter. I don’t have a dog in this fight.” </p><p>“Dogfighting is illegal, come on.” Annie groaned.</p><p>“Sorry. What I meant to say is-“</p><p>“We know full well what you meant.” Jeff interrupted with a hiss. “But that doesn’t give us any less reason to shoot you.” </p><p>“How about, uh. I o-o-offer you some information, and then we can all be on our way.” Tim stammered, visibly nervous from the two revolvers pointed towards his face.</p><p>“Speak.” Annie demanded.</p><p>“Okay, uh. The reason everybody on campus is looking for you, and you specifically, Miss Edison, is that Annie-Kim believes you came here with the sole intention of sabotaging her party. She’s intent on finding you and making you pay.”</p><p>“Tell us something we don’t know!” Annie hissed angrily.</p><p>“Is there anyone important in her little army we should know about?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“Uhm. She has some people named Vicki and Neil in command. Garrett’s wife is also involved, she wants to avenge him. I understand him getting shot began all of this.” Tim explained.</p><p>“Where are they?” Annie questioned angrily, her eyes staring at Tim as if she was death herself.</p><p>“I really shouldn’t say…” Tim responded nervously.</p><p>“If you want to go home tonight without crying in pain, I suggest you speak, NOW!” Annie angrily hissed at him, pulling out her second revolver and aiming it straight at Tim’s crotch.</p><p>“Annie-Kim is in the cafeteria, they shot and chased out everyone that wasn’t interested. Neil got a small force with him to the library, hoping to ambush you there. Vicki is at Borchert Hall.” He nervously responded; his hands raised up in surrender.</p><p>“What about Stacy?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“I don’t know.”</p><p>“I repeat: <em>What. About. Stacy?</em>” Jeff asked menacingly, mirroring Annie’s movement in aiming his second gun at poor Tim.</p><p>“I don’t know! I promise!” </p><p>“Fine. Leave. And I don’t want to see any of this in the newspaper, got it?” Annie threatened.</p><p>“I understand. I’ll leave.” Tim said, and backed off slowly, before turning into a sprint towards the parking lot. </p><p>Annie and Jeff watched him rapidly get into his car, backing out of his spot hurriedly, before he drove away, tires screeching.</p><p>“I’ll text what he said to Abed.” Annie said.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“Annie says that Neil is in the Library, and Vicki is in Borchert. Stacy is involved too, but they don’t know where. Annie-Kim is leading the whole operation from the Cafeteria.” Abed said coolly.<p>“Yeah no shit Vicki is here.” Britta replied as the bullets whizzed over the hedge they were sitting behind, splattering against a wall far behind them. They were currently pinned down in the quad outside of Borchert Hall, where they unbeknownst to Jeff and Annie had attracted quite a bit of attention. Leading the group that had them pinned down was Vicki, who appeared greatly motivated to take down the group.</p><p>“They’re pinned down! Get them!” Vicki commanded loudly to her troops, for her position on the opposite side of the Quad, after Abed and Britta had fought their way out of Borchert, Vicki had pulled her remaining forces out of the building, occupying the quad so her forces could spread out, rather than get picked off while trying to advance through the narrow hallways of Borchert Hall.</p><p>“Don’t push it Vicki!” Abed shouted back. “Don’t push it, or I’ll give you a war you won’t believe!”</p><p>Vicki didn’t respond, but they could see that her forces were spreading out throughout the quad.</p><p>“Shit, they’re trying to flank us.” Britta remarked. </p><p>“Follow me.” </p><p>Britta nodded her agreement. Abed started trailing off right, firing with Britta firing a few shots backwards to keep any pursuers at bay while they advanced. She hit nothing, but it was sufficient to keep them in place. </p><p>“Stay here.” Abed ordered. </p><p>“You don’t tell me what to do!” Britta hissed at him.</p><p>“Listen, this is about to get nasty. We’re at war. That means I need to <em>become</em> war. I can’t be responsible for the both of us, nor for what you’ll see if you follow me.”</p><p>“I can handle myself! Hell, I’m better than you at this, you get so wrapped up in your stupid characters that you lose all perspective.” </p><p>Abed seemed to ponder what Britta said for a few seconds. “You’re right. You are capable at this. We need to ensure that we don’t get flanked by them, which is why I want you here.”</p><p>“What if you push further, while I push straight forward? It’s getting dark, if you cause enough noise, I can slip by unnoticed and then hit them in the back once they reach you.”</p><p>“Okay.” Abed agreed, then instantly moved up along the side. Britta waited for a bit, then fired a few shots back where they came from. As soon as she did, Abed began firing. He had advanced to a good angle, using the growing darkness over Greendale to conceal his approach as he hid behind a tree. With two quick shots, he took out a brightly dressed clown.</p><p>“There’s someone over there! Get them!” A voice further away called out. </p><p>As expected, the flanking forces came rushing towards Abed’s position. Britta, smartly concealed behind a smelly, dark-green trash can in the darkness, sat there crouched as two people ran past her original position. Britta quickly followed them with silent footsteps, and with two quick shots, she took out Gandalf and the Mad Hatter. </p><p>“Get some more contemporary costumes!” She shouted mockingly at them as they dropped their weapons and left. </p><p>Meanwhile, a person dressed as The Joker was approaching Abed’s position, searching for where he had spotted him from further away. But Abed wasn’t there. He looked around, confused by Abed’s disappearance. Then suddenly a shot hit his shoulder. It came from above, as Abed had deftly climbed up in the tree, concealed by leaves in the darkness. </p><p>“What is this, the clown squad?” Abed questioned.</p><p>On the other end of the quad, Vicki was getting increasingly agitated. </p><p>“Get them! Hunt them down!” She commanded to the last 3 soldiers she had remaining by her side.</p><p>“We’re not hunting them. They’re hunting us!” One of them responded nervously. </p><p>“I don’t care! Get them!” Vicki commanded angrily.</p><p>Meanwhile, Britta had advanced forwards to the Luiz Guzman-statue, hoping to take the direct approach to her target. She was playing it carefully, moving slowly and quietly to avoid detection in the darkness. By now, her and Abed wear near impossible to see, with only the moonlight shimmering through the trees decked around the quad. </p><p>Suddenly, Vicki’s voice loudly boomed out over the quad. “Britta?” She asked loudly.</p><p>“Yeah?” Britta responded back loudly, still careful to remain in cover.</p><p>“How can you, a Greendale student, side with them? They don’t belong here anymore. They’re graduates, here to screw with Greendale so they can prove that everything was better with them around.” Vicki questioned.</p><p>“And what? I side with you guys?” </p><p>“Join the rest of the students and take down the outsiders!”</p><p>“If you think I’d surrender my individuality to join your stupid regime, then you don’t know me at all!” Britta countered angrily.</p><p>“You’re the worst!” Vicki announced.</p><p>Britta groaned and moved to get up and shout a response back but didn’t have time to reply before a shot landed right where her head had just been. She quickly fired back in the general direction she had been shot at from, unable to spot the clever bastard who nearly got her. She realized then that Vicki had baited her.</p><p>In the corner of her eye, she saw another person appearing from the opposite side. “Abed, I’m cornered.” She called out, desperate to get any sort of help. She couldn’t move, if she moved from where she was, she’d be in the open from both sides, and if she peeked to shoot back, she would likewise be in trouble. </p><p>Britta heard a shot fired in her direction and closed her eyes. She heard the bullet whizz past her, yet she wasn’t hit. She opened her eyes again and looked up. She saw someone she assumed was Abed between the trees right ahead of her, his black clothing barely visible in the dark. She looked up behind her, and saw a man with shoulder length white hair, fake chainmail armor and two plastic swords on his back, with an orange spot of paint dead center on his chest.</p><p>“Damnit.” He muttered, then threw down his gun and walked off. </p><p>Britta quickly shuffled away, knowing she had a second person firing at her from the opposite side. After changing her angle, she looked up again, and heard several shots fired. To her horror, she saw several shots hit the black clad Abed she had seen seconds earlier, splattering his chest with paint. </p><p>“Abed!” She cried out, but she knew he was gone. Yet Abed said nothing. He wasn’t even moving. Then suddenly, she heard another shot, from a different angle. Britta turned to see who got hit and saw the spartan warrior clad opponent who had shot Abed, with a bright yellow mark on his red tunic. Britta looked back at Abed, his clothes still tainted with a colorful mix of paint. Yet she still couldn’t see his face. Then she saw movement in the darkness further to her left, and a face turning towards her with a sinister grin. Abed.</p><p>“A decoy… you clever bastard.” Britta muttered to herself. </p><p>Knowing she couldn’t sit still for too long, Britta looked around, and headed around to the other side of the statue. She got a few yards away from the statue, when she noticed movement on the other side, heading towards Abed’s position. She fired once – miss, but it caught the stray Waldo’s attention. He fired back unsuccessfully right away but was then shot right in the back by Abed.</p><p>“Where’s Waldo now huh!? That’s right – in the grave!” Britta taunted.</p><p>She then looked around and saw only one person left – Vicki. She ran quickly behind a tree, and looked over to the side, where Abed did the same thing.</p><p>“You can’t shoot us both Vicki. Surrender and we might just let you leave campus without any paint on you.” Abed warned.</p><p>“If I can take one of you with me, that’s good enough for me!” Vicky shouted back from behind a thick hedge. </p><p>Britta looked over at Abed. He looked back at her with a nod. <em>You shoot, I go</em>. Abed mouthed silently. Britta nodded in return, then reached her gun out. Vicki shot in her direction immediately, causing Britta to instantly pull her arm back, before turning around the other side of the tree, firing right back at Vicki, causing her to duck down immediately. Abed took that as his opportunity to strike, charging forwards towards Vicki as he too shot a few warning shots. </p><p>Abed deftly leapt over the hedge, landing right beside Vicki. She reacted late, trying to aim her gun at him, but it was too late. Abed grabbed hold of her bright yellow gun, pointing it straight up as Vicki fired, before he forcibly tugged it out of her hand, tossing it away. </p><p>“Nobody calls Britta <em>‘the worst’</em> except us. And we retired that phrase. You pushed us; you didn’t back down. Are you prepared to suffer the circumstances?” Abed said menacingly, his gun pointed right at Vicki.</p><p>“What the hell is wrong with you?” Vicki questioned.</p><p>“To win a war, you have to become war. You made me this way. You pushed us to the limit, now you must face the consequences.”</p><p>“Abed, stop quoting.” Britta said, having jogged up to them. </p><p>Britta crouched down in front of Vicki, who was sitting with her legs out, and back against the hedge. “Listen here, you little shit. If you’re nice, we might let you leave unharmed. But that requires your cooperation.”</p><p>“And why would I tell anything to you?” Vicki spat back.</p><p>Abed decided to join in again, looking at Vicki menacingly. “This costume… you make a very nice pirate. Rental, right?” He began, eliciting a gulp and hesitant nod from Vicki. “Yeah, I thought so. Now you listen to me. If you’re a good girl and tell us where all your friends are hiding out, especially Miss Stacy, then we might just let you go deliver that costume tomorrow, untouched.”</p><p>“You going to tell us, or will we have to ruin your costume?” Britta added, seeing Vicki’s hesitation.</p><p>“She’s in the…the administration building, they locked it down after you guys left it.” Vicki stammered.</p><p>“Good, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Britta told her with a mischievous grin.</p><p>“You’re free to go now.” Abed said, suddenly completely normal again. </p><p>Vicki got up, looked at them with a terrified expression, then turned around and ran. But before she got too far, Britta aimed her gun, and fired. The shot ran true, and hit Vicki straight in the back, adding a little spot of red to her white shirt.</p><p>“That’s for calling me the worst, bitch!” Britta called out after her, but Vicki just kept running.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>After working their way back through the parking lot back where they came, Jeff and Annie eventually found themselves near the New Library, on the opposite side of the quad.<p>“Bit of a detour, huh.” Jeff muttered.</p><p>“You could say so. But we got some useful info at least.” Annie said, the corner of her mouth slightly upturned.</p><p>“Do we really need to go in here?” </p><p>“Jeff, we have to. If we just storm over to the cafeteria, she’ll just call for them and we’ll have people at our back. We have to take him out.” </p><p>“Fine.”</p><p>“We try to avoid ruining the study room if we can, okay?” Annie said, looking up at him expectedly for confirmation.</p><p>Jeff nodded. “Agreed.”</p><p>Annie smiled, and then they got moving. They moved, then stopped at the corner of the backside of Borchert Hall. Annie peeked around the corner and barely saw a nurse guarding the side entrance of the Library, her white uniform revealing her in the darkness. Annie deftly picked her off with a clean shot to the stomach, before they crossed to the other side, hugging the wall of the Library as they advanced, in case more people would come running out. But nobody did, and the frustrated nurse huffed and walked off in the direction Jeff and Annie came from, heading down to the parking lot.</p><p>Jeff leaned around the corner and peeked through the glass doors. “Looks clear.”</p><p>Annie nodded.</p><p>“You take the left hallway, I take right. There’s bound to be some people inside.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>Jeff gently pushed the door open and held it there so Annie could sneak through. She walked in, and peeked around the corner, locking eyes with a police officer right away. The officer reached for the gun he had tucked inside his pocket, but Annie already had her revolver out and quickly shot him in the chest. “Sorry officer, but the laws don’t apply to us.” She teased.</p><p>However, Jeff had appeared alongside her, and saw a figure rounding the corner from the opposite hallway. Jeff grabbed Annie and pulled her into his chest as he backed into the wall right before a shot was fired, whizzing right past their heads and splattering against the blue wallpaper on the other side.</p><p>“They’re here!” The person shouted out.</p><p>“So much for subtlety.” Jeff commented with chuckle as he stood there with Annie tucked against his chest, a look of surprise on her face.</p><p>“He’s wasn’t there when I looked.” Annie responded with a tinge of frustration lacing her voice, then pushed herself off to stand alongside him by the wall.</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>Jeff reached his long right arm out and fired two shots in the direction of their assailant, who predictably backed off around the corner again. Jeff took his chance, and with long strides he ran up to the wall. He pulled out his second gun, and fired two rapid warning shots at the corner, hoping he could get the assailant to back off. However, Jeff noticed that the shadow from the rooftop light had moved and figured that he had moved back a bit. Jeff looked to the other side, and saw that Annie was taking up position on the other side. </p><p>“Careful so they don’t hit us from behind!” Annie told him, then rounded the corner. Jeff reloaded his gun, then aimed it around the corner, firing blindly. He heard something wooden getting flipped over and decided to capitalize on the distraction. He slung his body around the corner and was met with a person advancing towards him further down the hallway. With his left gun, he shot towards the person, inaccurately, but enough to halt their advance and force them to duck behind a chair. Meanwhile, he spotted the flipped table, and saw a head peeking out from it, the person uncovering themselves as they prepared to shoot. With his right arm, Jeff fired at the person, and hit them square in the forehead, before Jeff himself ducked down behind the other side of the table.</p><p>“Ow, why’d you need to hit my face, man?” The poor wizard whined, running their hand against the paint, trying to keep it away from their eyes.</p><p>“Shouldn’t have left your face visible then.” Jeff responded, always the smartass. Before Jeff could compose himself however, he heard rapid footsteps heading towards him. He crouched down as low as he possibly could, and as soon as the footsteps were closed enough, pulled out both his revolvers, firing blindly in the general direction of it. </p><p>“Ow, fuck! Stop shooting!” A voice called out after mere seconds of Jeff’s blind fire. Jeff looked up, and saw a very displeased vampire, with several colorful spots on his black and red coat. Jeff quickly got up, and pushed past the disgruntled vampire, heading further down the hallway.</p><p>In the opposite hallway, Annie sat behind a low bookshelf, as she heard footsteps heading towards her. She had heard the sounds on the opposite side and knew that people were undoubtably headed to pin him in from behind. A Catwoman and a Batman ran past, no doubt attending the party together, but Annie showed no mercy and with two quick shots took them both out, staining their black suits with a tinge of green and purple.</p><p>Annie got up and pushed forwards. She got a bit further, before Captain America appeared further down the hallway, firing towards her. Annie slid behind the librarian’s desk to avoid the incoming bullets, with multiple shots hitting the books in the shelves nearby. A shame, really. She had borrowed that copy of <em>To Kill a Mockingbird</em> a few years earlier, and now it was ruined by paint.</p><p>She was so close to the study room. The door was right there. The blinders were down, so she couldn’t see inside there. But she felt drawn there, she just had to get past this patriotic idiot. He didn’t fit the suit anyway; Jeff would have pulled it off way better. Impatiently, Annie burst up from behind the desk, bullets flying in her direction immediately. She leapt to the side, firing both of her guns simultaneously at the captain hiding behind the pc station. </p><p>Annie didn’t hit him but was successful in keeping him at bay as she crashed inside the study room. Entering the study room, she saw a figure to her left, turned, and fired both her guns. Nothing, only air. She looked at him closer, his gun aimed right towards her by now. Neil, dressed in a black pinstripe suit, and a hat reminiscent of a 20’s gangster.</p><p>“Drop your weapons.” He commanded.</p><p>“Neil… you don’t have to do this…” Annie replied pleadingly.</p><p>“Drop. Your. Weapons.” Neil repeated.</p><p>Annie did as he said and dropped both of her weapons on the ground. “Neil, why are you doing this? We’re friends, aren’t we?”</p><p>“Are we?” Neil questioned, his head tilting slightly to the side.</p><p>“Yeah, we played Dungeons &amp; Dragons together.” Annie reminded him, smiling nervously as he slowly approached her.</p><p>“We did. But after you left the first time, not a single person in your group stayed in touch with me. And then you returned, yet nobody spoke with me. I was just another guy to you. I wasn’t invited to your Dungeons &amp; Dragons-sessions, nothing. So, tell me, are we truly friends, Annie?” Neil said slowly, menacingly, as he circled her, his gun still firmly pointed towards her.</p><p>“Look, we weren’t the best at keeping in touch. I’m sorry about that. You know how the group was about new members.” Annie tried to explain.</p><p>“Oh bullshit! You invited two professors to hang out with you instead. You even allowed Chang into your group, <em>Chang</em>! You could have reached out to me, but you didn’t.” Neil spat back. “You were there for me once, and I’m grateful for that, but that doesn’t make up for all the times you weren’t. Do you remember when we had paintball at the end of your second year here?”</p><p>Annie nodded.</p><p>“Yeah, of course you do. You’re even wearing the same costume. Poetic. Do you remember what you did to me in that game?” Neil asked her.</p><p>“I saved your ass.” Annie bit back at him.</p><p>“You saved me, because it was a free chance to take out three others. And then you wanted to let me run off unarmed. Then you shot me. Some friend, huh.” </p><p>“You pointed your gun at me, don’t play the victim here. I saved you, and you tried to repay that by shooting me when I turned my back. There were plenty of guns to go around, but I don’t do charity in paintball, Neil. I’ll gladly help the poor any other day, but not during paintball.” Annie spat back menacingly behind gritted teeth and an angry sneer.</p><p>“I thought so. Yet now you expect me to treat you different. You return here yet again, when <em>finally</em>, people like me, respect me. And then you crash the party. You turn it into a war. And after everything, you truly expect me to take <em>your</em> side in this? How can you still be that naïve?” </p><p>“Drop the weapon Neil.” Jeff’s voice ran out through the room. Annie turned around – he had appeared from the entrance on the other side. Neil instantly grabbed hold of her, pointing his gun right at her head. “Easy Neil, let her go.” Jeff said, taking slow steps towards them.</p><p>“One more step and her hair will be filled with paint.” Neil threatened.</p><p>“Neil, we can talk about this.” Jeff said.</p><p>“There’s nothing to talk about. Stop, and drop your weapon.”</p><p>Jeff stopped, yet didn’t lower his gun. </p><p>“DROP. YOUR. WEAPON.” Neil repeated angrily. “You have ten seconds. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six.”</p><p>A shot was fired. Annie pushed off Neil and looked at his suit. Neil turned his head, and looked down at his back, his eyes wide. A bright pink spot on his back. </p><p>Annie looked at Jeff, who looked utterly confused. He shook his head.</p><p>“Idiot.” A voice rang out from the corner of the room.</p><p>All 3 of them turned around and looked. It was Chang, barely sticking out of the vents.</p><p>“Chang?” Annie questioned, looking incredulously at him.</p><p>“Man, why’d you have to ruin my suit?” Neil asked in frustration, though he likely knew the reason why.</p><p>“You were aiming your gun at Annie, idiot.” Chang responded instantly, then fully crawled out of the vent. He was still wearing his pharaoh costume, though with a lot more dark smudges and hints of other things on it than previously.</p><p>“You know what, forget it.” Neil said, then forcibly pushed the door open and left.</p><p>“Everything okay?” An unknown voice asked, seemingly to Neil.</p><p>“No, I’m out.” Neil said, and before they knew it, they heard the main door to the library opening and closing. Meanwhile, Annie had picked up her guns and was in the process of reloading them in the corner of the room. Jeff, having heard the conversation outside, had his guns aimed out the door, and as Captain America peeked around the corner, Jeff shot three rapid shots, the first one missing, while the second and third splattered against his chest. The captain sighed, then dropped his gun and walked off. </p><p>Annie meanwhile had reloaded both her weapons, having taken ammunition from Neil’s discarded weaponry. She flipped off the safety and pointed one of her revolvers at Chang. “Care to explain all of this?” </p><p>“I-I-I saved you!” Chang stammered; his hands raised up in the air in surrender.</p><p>“Take his weapon.” Annie told Jeff, without looking away from Chang. Jeff walked up to Chang and took the golden gun Chang had carelessly tucked in his pocket with the safety off. “It’s because of you that we’re in this mess!”</p><p>“WHAT!?”</p><p>“You shot Garrett, and suddenly everyone had guns, and now the whole campus is trying to shoot us, just because <em>you</em> started it!” Annie loudly accused him, the look on her face intense and terrifying.</p><p>“It was self-defense!” Chang shouted back, his eyes closed, head slightly turned away from Annie.</p><p>“Look, Chang. We've been chased all around campus all because of the thing you started. It’s getting tiresome. Because of you, everybody on campus seems to want me, Annie, Abed and Britta dead over something we didn’t do.” Jeff interjected.</p><p>Chang opened his eyes again and looked at Jeff. “He was going to throw a drink at me, what did you want me to do!?” He loudly asked in response, clearly upset and frustrated.</p><p>“Maybe <em>not</em> shoot him with a paintball gun?” Annie asked rhetorically. “Why did everyone even carry guns?”</p><p>“Some people found some stash or something of guns earlier this week, I think? I heard about it, so I found my guns and wore them in case something happened.” Chang explained like it really wasn’t a big deal.</p><p>“Then if everyone was carrying guns already, why am <em>I</em> being blamed for ruining the party!?” Annie asked angrily.</p><p>Chang cowered in fear, hiding his face once again. “I don’t know!” He cried out loudly, sniffling to try to compose himself.</p><p>“Annie, asking him won’t do anything. Let’s go before anyone else shows up.” Jeff told her, his voice low and composed.</p><p>“Fine.” Annie said, then pulled the trigger and shot Chang in his shoulder. “Let’s go.”</p><p>Chang looked at them walk off, his head hanging a bit, with tears glistening his eyes.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“Jeff, did I do the right thing?” Annie suddenly asked as they reached the corner of the Gymnasium, peering over at the side entrance to the Administration building.<p>“Right thing when?” </p><p>“You know, shooting Chang? He did save me, I was just... really mad. And seeing him, I just couldn’t think.”</p><p>“It’s okay, Annie. If it wasn’t for him, we could be back at the apartment now, doing…<em>stuff</em>. Now it’s midnight, and we’re still here, cleaning up his mess. And shooting him is the smart decision, we can’t trust him, not in paintball.” Jeff told her calmly, hoping to ease her down again.</p><p>“I know. I want to be back at the apartment too, doing stuff with you.” Annie said, smiling weakly at him.</p><p>“We can go right now if you want?” </p><p>“Jeeeeff!” Annie said, slapping his chest lightly. “We need to finish this. We can have fun later.”</p><p>“Mhm. You know, this is a little fun too.”</p><p>“A little bit.” </p><p>“Are we interrupting something?” Britta suddenly asked, and Jeff and Annie turned around to see her and Abed walking up to them. </p><p>“We interrupted them talking about having sex. They’re both turned on by each other’s costumes, but Jeff is scared to admit that Annie being intensely angry turns him on even more. Jeff wants them to leave now, but Annie wants to wait until they’re done with this situation.” Abed answered right away. </p><p>Annie blushed, and Jeff instantly flipped out his phone and pretended to be texting someone, though everyone there knew he wasn’t.</p><p>“Abed! Nobody wanted to know that!” Britta exclaimed in frustration.</p><p>“You asked if we interrupted something. I explained what we interrupted.” Abed replied matter-of-factly.</p><p>“Ehm, are you guys sure Stacy is in here?” Annie asked instead, eager to change the subject</p><p>“According to Vicki she is in there.” Abed replied.</p><p>“It doesn’t seem like anyone’s guarding it though, are you sure?” Annie questioned.</p><p>“She had incentive to tell us the truth.” Britta replied, smirking.</p><p>Annie gasped. “You <em>bribed</em> her!?” She asked, mouth gaping in shock.</p><p>“What? No! We threatened to ruin her rental costume.” Britta clarified instantly.</p><p>“Britta still ruined her costume. I think Vicki calling her <em>'the worst'</em> really hit a nerve.” Abed added.</p><p>“Abed!” Annie said, slapping his chest. “We agreed to stop using that!”</p><p>“It’s okay, he actually threatened Vicki pretty good for saying it.” Britta told Annie, then smiled gratefully at Abed.</p><p>“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we should focus.” Jeff interjected.</p><p>“Vicki said that Stacy locked down the building. They might be waiting inside to try to set up a trap. My guess is they’ll be using the Dean as bait for Jeff, as he will no doubt overplay his importance to Jeff to Stacy.” Abed explained.</p><p>“Okay, good. Let’s head inside but check <em>every</em> corner.” Jeff ordered.</p><p>“Who put <em>you</em> in charge?” Britta questioned.</p><p>“Britta! Don’t argue about this!” Annie hissed.</p><p>“Fine, fine.” Britta relented; her hands raised lazily in surrender.</p><p>“Everyone, on me.” Jeff said, then started moving towards the door, with the three others close behind. He followed the wall closely to the glass doors and peeked through. “Looks clear.”</p><p>“The lights are off. They were on earlier. They’re hoping to ambush us in the dark.” Abed noted.</p><p>“Shit. Should we even go in there if they’re waiting for us?” Britta questioned; her brow furrowed in worry.</p><p>“Do we have any other options?” Annie asked.</p><p>“I’ll find a different way in.” Abed announced.</p><p>“Are you sure?” Annie asked him, her eyes narrowed slightly.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Let him. Let’s get inside.” Jeff told him. Annie and Britta nodded, while Abed walked to the back of the building as the trio stepped inside. </p><p>The trio opened the door slowly, and stepped inside, with Annie leading the way into the seemingly empty administration building.</p><p>“It’s so dark.” Britta noted.</p><p>“Sh!” Annie responded, hushing her.</p><p>“No, you <em>shhh</em>!” Britta retorted.</p><p>“Both of you, quiet!” Jeff hissed. “They might be waiting for us, so don’t say a word in case they’re listening.”</p><p>That seemed to shut them both up, and they continued walking slowly down the hallway, peering at every single door along time way, listening intently for any sounds. Suddenly, they heard a glass being put on a table. Annie stopped, holding her hand out to the rest, indicating that they had to stop too. In between the sounds of their breath, they could hear movement, and a sigh, which didn’t come from either of them. Annie turned to the others, then pointed to a door a few yards ahead to their right. Britta and Jeff nodded. </p><p>Together, they slowly walked up to the door. Annie moved to the handle of the door, Jeff standing right across the opening, while Britta covered the corner. Britta and Jeff nodded to Annie, indicating that they were in position. Then quickly, Annie tore the door open. They heard someone scramble for something in there, while Jeff quickly stepped inside, with two guns aimed at the dark figure sitting behind the lone desk in the darkness. </p><p>“Hands off the desk!” Jeff commanded, and the figure instantly raised their hands in the air, leaving the gun-like shape on the table alone. Annie stepped inside last, and shut the door behind them, before she flicked the light switch. </p><p>“Leonard?” Jeff asked in surprise.</p><p>“Surprise motherfucker.” Leonard replied, chuckling at himself.</p><p>“Shut up Leonard, that doesn’t work when we’re the ones that surprised you.” </p><p>“And yet you’re still surprised. You know, I’ve been in a few wars, and yet I’ve never had a commander as crazy as that Annie-Kim girl. Good thing I volunteered to go here to drink up the British idiot’s booze!” Leonard said, and laughed again.</p><p>Jeff simply shot him in the chest in response. “Britta, tell Duncan that his booze is gone.”</p><p>“Should we really tell him though? I think he’d be better off not keeping anything at work.” Annie argued.</p><p>"Yes, Leonard's stealing."</p><p>“Ugh. I’ll text him.” Britta said with an exasperated sigh. </p><p>As Britta stood there texting, they heard a voice out in the hallway. </p><p>“Hey, why’s the light on in there?”</p><p>“They’re in here!” Leonard called out in response.</p><p>“Shit, everyone, look alive. We’re about to have company.” Jeff told the rest in hushed tones. Jeff and Britta quickly slid behind the desk, while Annie opened the window. “Annie, what are you doing?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“I’ll be back, I promise.” Annie replied, then hopped out. </p><p>“Some girlfriend huh, leaving you in here while she runs off.” Britta joked.</p><p>“Shut up, they’re bound to be here soon.” Jeff replied.</p><p>“They’re hiding behind the table!” Leonard said, having scampered off the corner of the room to be out of firing range. Jeff shot him again for good measure. </p><p>Then the door was brutally kicked open. Luckily it was a side entrance, and Jeff and Britta both had a good angle to shoot anyone who dared step inside. Predictably, someone did rush in – there must always be one, and a spiky haired vampire came crashing in, instantly met by gunfire from Jeff and Britta, with a bullet from Jeff hitting him square in the forehead. </p><p>“Stop shooting, I’m out!” He cowered after a few more shots hit his body.</p><p>“If anyone else keeps rushing in here, you’ll suffer the same fate as that idiot!” Britta loudly and confidently called out. “We’ve shot more people tonight than you have in your whole lives, you’re no match for us!”</p><p>“Jayden?” Jeff asked, having taken a closer look at the vampire cowering in the corner near Leonard.</p><p>“Professor Winger?” He asked in return. “What are you doing here?”</p><p>“I could ask you the same.” Jeff asked.</p><p>Meanwhile, some person tried to stick their head around the corner to capitalize on Jeff being distracted but was met with a shot from Britta grazing the doorframe, which they barely avoided.</p><p>“I don’t know man, AK just told us to go here and shoot some girl named Annie, and her friends Abed, Britta and Jeff.” Jayden explained nervously.</p><p>“Yeah, <em>I’m</em> Jeff, you idiot. And you’re talking about shooting my girlfriend.” Jeff snapped back at him.</p><p>“I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.” </p><p>“It’s fine Jayden, I believe you. Just head home. And return tomorrow to help clean this place up.” </p><p>“Okay. Thanks Professor.” Jayden said with a weak smile. Jeff felt satisfied with that. The kid had been brash the first few weeks of school, but he had calmed down and seemed to respect Jeff by now. Getting hit in the face with a paintball probably helped too. </p><p>They were now in a waiting game with the people watching the door. Jeff and Britta couldn’t get out, and the people in the hallway couldn’t step inside without getting shot. Cleverly, Jeff got an idea. He fired two shots at the doorframe, not hitting anyone. </p><p>“Shit, I need to reload.” He told Britta a bit too loudly, and as if on cue, the person closest to the door, peeked inside to shoot at them. However, Jeff already had his second gun out, and as the girl got her head around the corner Jeff hit her right at the hairline, covering her blonde hair in blue paint. </p><p>“Ugh.” She groaned, tossed down her gun and headed off.</p><p>However, Jeff and Britta knew there was one person left out there in the dark hallway. </p><p>“It’s two versus one. You can’t win this, just leave.” Jeff announced to the last person out there. </p><p>“I don’t need to leave. I can keep you pinned in here, that way your little girlfriend has no help while the others hunt her down.” The guy replied cockily. Then suddenly, a shot rang out, and Jeff and Britta heard a paintball bullet splattering against fabric.</p><p>“Looking for me? Here I am.” Annie announced as she walked up to the defeated cowboy. </p><p>Jeff and Britta took that as their sign to get up, and rejoined Annie in the hallway. </p><p>“How good of you to join us.” Britta snarked. </p><p>“Britta, I was just getting a different angle on them. I knew they’d try to pin us down inside there. Having them chasing us would be hopeless. Now come on, let’s find Stacy and shoot her too.” Annie explained.</p><p>Jeff didn’t say anything, he simply smiled proudly at her. Annie smiled back at him, then tilted her head for them to get going. They headed down the dark hallway uninterrupted, still on the lookout for any stragglers to shoot, or any others waiting to give them a nasty surprise. However, nobody seemed to appear, as all of them likely had appeared at the sound of their shooting further down the hallway. Now, it was just quiet. Eerily quiet. </p><p>The group finally reached the door to the Dean’s office, and the whole place seemed deserted. It was dark, and all the lights were off. Still, they had to check if Stacy was there. Annie pushed open the door – left unlocked, her two guns aimed towards the desk. She stepped inside, with Jeff and Britta in tow. </p><p>“Jeffrey!” The Dean’s voice suddenly called out, bursting out from behind the desk and running over to hug Jeff.</p><p>“Craig, have you seen Stacy?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“Oh, don’t worry about that, it’s just so good to see you!” </p><p>Just as quickly, the side door opened, and two people burst inside, aiming their guns at the group. </p><p>“Drop your weapons!” They demanded.</p><p>“We’re 4, and you’re 2. You wouldn’t be able to take us all down.” Annie sneered back. </p><p>“Count again.” Stacy responded from behind them, revealing two more people aiming guns at them, and Stacy standing behind them both, still dressed as Snow White. “As expected, you all fell right into the trap. Your little idiocy down the hallway alerted us that you were coming, so I brought some backup.” Stacy said confidently.</p><p>“Stacy, why are you doing this? You know we didn’t shoot Garrett, right?” Annie asked her.</p><p>“Are you really <em>that</em> short-sighted!? Do you really think this was just about that little incident in the cafeteria?” Stacy questioned aggressively, stepping in between the two guarding the door. </p><p>“We kind of assumed that, yeah. That’s what started this whole paintball war you guys have going on against us.” Britta replied.</p><p>“Oh, I don’t care about that. Hell, Garrett basically started that by getting so upset over those <em>stupid</em> rice cakes.” Stacy laughed, but everybody present could feel the sharp edge in her laughter. “I <em>hate</em> them! It’s basically all he can eat without getting a <em>fricking</em> allergic reaction. If you knew how many times I’ve driven him to the hospital because he’s eaten something he can’t eat, you’d all be apologizing to me right now. But I’m getting sidetracked. I’m doing this, because you <em>RUINED MY FUCKING WEDDING</em>! You came there late, ruined the ceremony, then you went and ruined the reception!” Stacy snapped, yelling, ranting and pointing angrily at them with blown pupils and a sneer on her face.</p><p>The trio remained silent, completely stunned by her outburst. Craig however, decided to speak. “Stacy, can we talk about this? I’m sure this is all just a big mis-“</p><p>“Shut it Dean!” Stacy shouted, pointing her gun right at him.</p><p>“Shutting up.”</p><p>“Do you guys know what the best part is?” Stacy asked rhetorically. “That you guys ruining my wedding could actually have saved me. I hate being married to him; I <em>hate</em> it!” She snarled angrily.</p><p>“Stacy, we’re so sorry. And I’m sorry for my part in that.” Jeff offered.</p><p>“No, you’re not. You had your fun there. You don’t care about me or Garrett, you were there to have fun, and you had it at our expense, on <em>our</em> day. And even then, you could have saved me by making me not go through with it, but noooo, you had to <em>fix</em> it, because you always do. So, you fixed it, and now I’m stuck in this marriage with a guy I dislike more for every day that passes. He couldn’t even do a couple’s costume. Even you two managed to do that!” She said, indicating to Jeff and Annie at the end. </p><p>“Stacy, we’re so sorry about that. We’re sorry your marriage hasn’t worked out as you hoped.” Britta told her sincerely.</p><p>“You know, I keep looking for a positive. And I keep going back to the wedding day. That maybe, if we had that one good day, that one positive day, then maybe we had something positive to look back at, a happy memory. But we don’t even have that, because of you guys. Because of you, I have a marriage that started off badly, and never got any better. Thank you, for helping me feel miserable.”</p><p>“Stacy, we’re sorry. We shouldn’t have acted like we did. We were idiots. We still are. But we feel sorry about it. We don’t want you to be unhappy.” Annie said, offering her a kind, tight-lipped smile.</p><p>“You know, if you need a divorce lawyer, I’m looking at getting back in the game. I could help you out cheaply, to you know, make up for the mess.” Jeff offered.</p><p>“Oh, fuck you Jeff!” Stacy instantly replied angrily. “I wouldn’t even hire you to watch over those damn cactuses we have. Yeah, that’s right we have <em>cactuses</em>, because Garrett gets allergic to every other plant!” She hissed angrily between her teeth.</p><p>“Sorry.” Jeff replied, then shut his mouth completely.</p><p>“I’m divorcing him alright, but it will <em>never</em> be with you representing me. And <em>no</em>, Britta, I don’t want your damn therapy!” Stacy snarled.</p><p>“I didn’t say anything.” Britta muttered.</p><p>“I should just shoot you now, before I get the urge to punch all of you.” </p><p>The four others Stacy had under her command all pointed their guns at them. They knew they were screwed; they’d all be eliminated by firing squad, and to Annie’s great displeasure, she wouldn’t get to shoot Annie-Kim right in her stupid face. Their beef wasn’t with Stacy, she was just a cog that had to be removed. Yet she would be their undoing.</p><p>Or so they thought. Suddenly, four rapid shots were fired, each hitting their targets clean and true, taking out each of Stacy’s henchmen. Stacy, stunned, turned around as saw him. Abed, in black jeans, a black tank-top, a torn-up coat as his headband, a mixture of soot and sweat covering his face. He looked terrifying, like he was ready to kill. And he did, with his fifth shot, he hit Stacy right in her stomach, leaving an orange mark on her dark blue costume.</p><p>“Ugh! Even this! Even this, you find a way to ruin for me!” Stacy growled angrily. “I hate you guys! Go to hell!” She added, then stormed off, chucking her gun angrily at the wall as she walked off.</p><p>“Jeesh.” One of her henchmen added and walked off along with the other four.</p><p>“I really thought we were done for there.” Annie said, and let go of a breath she didn’t realize she was holding in. </p><p>“Good save buddy.” Jeff said. </p><p>“I went to scope out the cafeteria. I figured you could handle this, but it appears Stacy outwitted you. Good thing she thought this through as much as she did her marriage. She seems unhappy, I think she should consider a divorce before her blood pressure rises too much.” Abed told them.</p><p>Unsure how to process that information, the group remained silent for a few seconds.</p><p>“Okay, uhm. Did you find anything while you scoped out the cafeteria?” Annie finally asked him to break the silence.</p><p>“Yes.” Abed began.</p><p>“Oh my, are we planning an attack? Exciting!” Craig said, interrupting Abed before he could begin explaining. </p><p>Jeff shot Craig in the chest, leaving a red mark on his mermaid outfit. “Get out. You’re banned from this meeting.”</p><p>Craig gasped dramatically. “Jeffrey, how could you! And this is <em>my</em> office!” </p><p>“Craig, get out.” Annie added angrily, pointing her gun at him.</p><p>“Okay, going.” He replied, then walked off.</p><p>“Continue, Abed.” Annie said.</p><p>“As I was saying, the cafeteria is surrounded by outside patrols. Our exit earlier is guarded by two people, and likely more on the inside. It would also require us going up the stairs there, which is a difficult spot. She likely expects us to enter there, so I don’t like our chances from that route. It’s also too small to send in four people there.” Abed explained.</p><p>“What about the main entrance?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Crowded. She’s got a lot of people there, but it could be easier to attack. It would mean going all out from the front, but once inside, there are more hiding places, easier for us to maneuver. I would expect Annie-Kim to be in the cafeteria itself, patrolling the remains of her failed party.” Abed replied.</p><p>“What do you suggest we do then?” Annie asked.</p><p>“I think we should do the main entrance. Get everyone to crowd there, then pick them off. If we use the side entrance, we’ll be stuck fighting everyone from behind the cafeteria counter.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“I agree. It’s high risk, but it’s our best path inside.” Abed said.</p><p>“I disagree. I think we should go in through the warehouse. I know that place, it’s easy to get through there.” Britta countered.</p><p>“Well, I’m leaning towards the main entrance. I want her to see us coming, and then I want to shoot her straight in her dumb face.” Annie said.</p><p>“Well, it’s three against one then.” Jeff pointed out. “We should go for the main entrance.”</p><p>“What about if you three take the main entrance, and I go through the warehouse?” Britta suggested.</p><p>“Draw the attention to the main entrance, all the while keeping a wildcard in our back pocket, coming in from a different angle. I like it.” Abed said.</p><p>“You’ll be alone then; do you think you can handle it?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“Psh, I know that place like the back of my hand.” Britta replied confidently.</p><p>“Okay, let’s do that then.” Annie said. “Me, Jeff and Abed take the main entrance, while you take the side entrance.”</p><p>“Sounds like a plan.” Jeff said. “Everyone ready? Check your weapons, reload them, and pick up any ammo we can find. But prepare yourselves, this will get messy, some of us may get shot, but we just need one person left alive. One person. Stay alive, show no mercy. For tonight, we dine in hell!” He roared emphatically.</p><p>“300. Nice.” Abed commented.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>The quartet moved through the staff parking lot unseen, sneaking slowly towards study building to the west of the cafeteria. The plan was help Britta take out the two guards at the storage entrance to the cafeteria, then move along the side of the wall to the main entrance, to avoid crossing where everybody could see them, and where they would be in the firing line.<p>“You take left, I take right. On me.” Britta commanded to Abed, who simply nodded. From the corner of the study building, Britta hit the right person while Abed hit the left half a second later, before either of them could react. Resigned, both left without ever spotting who shot them.</p><p>“Okay, you’re on your own now.” Jeff commented to Britta.</p><p>“I can handle myself.” Britta responded needlessly defiant.</p><p>“Yeah, -“ Jeff was about to retort, when Annie spoke, leaving Jeff standing there with his mouth open.</p><p>“We know. See you on the other side.” Annie said, stopping Jeff from responding back with any snarky comments.</p><p>The quartet jumped down from the higher placed position and down to the lower placed warehouse entrance and ran up to the wall. Jeff, Annie and Abed continued up along the wall, and rounded the corner. Abed led the group with determination, his bright orange gun raised in front of him. Expertly, he picked off Scooby Doo and a Ninja Turtle, while Annie shot Harley Quinn.</p><p>Jeff shot the last guard, a devil, leaving the trio as the only ones outside of the cafeteria. Quickly, they moved up to the door, covering both sides of it. They could hear talking inside, where they seemingly hadn’t heard the gunshots outside. That was good news for them, as getting in the door would have been extremely difficult had they been heard. Quickly, they pushed open the double doors, entering the hallway they had entered the party from hours earlier. Instantly, they noticed people in the hallway, all armed with paintball guns. The trio knew they had to be effective here, they were exposed in the middle of a hallway, with no cover, so the element of surprise had to be their friend.</p><p>Abed shot first, hitting an unimaginative skeleton in the chest right as they turned around to see what caused the sudden noise of the doors forcefully crashing open. The hallways were full of people, at least 5-6 in addition to the one Abed shot. In a flurry of bullets from Abed’s gun, and Jeff and Annie’s dual wielding, a few more were hit, multiple times. However, a tiny mad scientist had snuck behind the others on the right side of the hallway and shot against Annie. Annie, moving to Abed’s left, locked eyes with the woman just as she fired, and barely managed to duck out of the way as the shot whizzed past her head. Abed took advantage of the situation and ran up to the wall, kicking himself off it as he fired multiple shots at the scientist, hitting her twice. </p><p>With the hallway empty, they quickly ran to the end of the hallway, and rounded the corner to the left, intending to head into the student’s lounge. Right as they rounded the corner and stepped into the student lounge, they were met with gunfire from behind the billiards’ table. Barely dodging it, they fired back valiantly, each hitting a person, but on their way to the cover of the billiards table, Abed, the first one of them to enter the room, got hit, leaving a bright yellow mark on his black tank top. </p><p>Abed stood there frozen for a second, looked down at the mark, then looked up again. “Well, I’m out.” He shrugged, then dropped his weapon and walked off to the side. Using the distraction of Abed getting shot, Jeff and Annie managed to move behind the first billiards table, crouching behind it alongside each other. Annie cleverly took the ammo from Abed’s discarded gun, but they were at an impasse. They were stuck behind the first billiard table, barely inside the room, while there were more people aiming right at them from behind the second billiard table and the couches.</p><p>In a moment of brilliance, Annie dropped down on her stomach, and shot the people hiding behind the other billiard table in their legs from under the table. Jeff noticed what she was doing and knowing that the people hiding behind the couches likely would notice that they could do it back at them, he focused the fire from his two guns towards the couches. He kept them pinned there, then stopped shooting to reload. As soon as one of them peeked up to shoot Jeff, Annie shot them, and charged forwards. She kept the others pinned, as she ran over to the first couch and slid down.</p><p>Jeff finished reloading both his guns. Annie was stuck behind the couch now, so he used the distraction to move. Instead of following, Jeff went behind the other billiard table to get a different angle. Jeff was able to get at the side of one of them, and he hit them cleanly in the side, leaving Annie with only one person left to shoot. Jeff didn’t have a good angle, but provided suppressive fire for Annie, who capitalized by quickly moving up alongside the last person, shooting them as they cowered behind the couch. </p><p>Annie looked up and into the cafeteria. There were more people hiding behind the booths, and in between what remained of the decorations. Unlike in the student’s lounge, the lights were off in the cafeteria, and the blinders were still pulled. The only things illuminating the room were the various pumpkin lanterns around the room, many of whom had ended up on the floor. The whole place looked horrible – like a warzone. Not as bad as it had been years prior during the City College invasion, but there were clear signs of a big shootout having taken place there, based on the many spots of paint coloring the temporary black tapestry, the booths and the remaining decoration.</p><p>And at the end of the room, Annie spotted the person she was there for. Annie-Kim. Across the room, through the darkness, they locked eyes. Annie narrowed her eyes, looking at her hated nemesis angrily. Annie-Kim was dressed as little red riding hood, a costume Annie had executed far better herself, before someone rudely ruined it while everyone was drugged down. Annie-Kim had to go down, even if it was the last thing Annie did.</p><p>“She’s there! Get that wannabe student, she doesn’t belong here!” Annie-Kim screamed out, pointing right at Annie. Instantly, shots headed her way, hitting the soft fabric of the couch cushions and the hard glass of the wending machine behind Annie. Jeff, out of view for the assailants, moved up and creeped up along the wall, before he used the angle to pick off two people sticking out from the booths along the windows of the cafeteria. </p><p>That drew the attention back on him, allowing Annie to pick off a nun that was rudely trying to shoot him. Thanks to both carrying two weapons, they were able to catch another few off guard once they tried capitalizing on Jeff and Annie reloading, only to be caught by surprise. With the front ranks picked off, Annie moved up to the beam marking the middle of the passageway between the cafeteria and the lounge. </p><p>With the benefit of a large beam allowing her to peek out to both sides, and Jeff covering one of her sides, Annie peeked to her right, firing towards the cafeteria counter itself, where a ninja was hiding. She couldn’t quite hit the mysterious ninja, but instead hit the cash register, somehow opening the register with her bullet. The register popped out, hitting the ninja in the head, causing them to move slightly out of cover as they flinched from the sudden pain, allowing Annie to hit them in the head.</p><p>Meanwhile, Jeff fired across from Annie, keeping her left side occupied. They were taking cover from his fire however, and repositioned to shoot back at him, forcing Jeff to back slightly away from the corner. Annie used that chance to shoot the Han Solo firing at Jeff, it was after all a costume she had warmed to for a few hours, years ago before it had massively soured on her shortly thereafter. But that wasn’t a headache she had time to deal with, as Annie used the chance to burst out of cover, ducking low as she ran over to the first row of booths, sliding in behind the first one she could reach. It was a precarious position, right in the middle of the room. However, thanks to Jeff’s covering fire, she could focus her fire to her right. </p><p>“Gotta do everything myself…useless idiots…” Annie-Kim muttered from behind the row furthest away from Annie, before she too popped up, firing towards Annie. Annie ducked down, now being shot at from two angles.</p><p>Jeff, realizing that Annie was in trouble if this kept up, decided that he had to move. He swiftly reloaded both his guns, then jumped out from behind the corner, firing towards Annie-Kim with one gun, and the Kobra Kai henchman to the left with the other. It kept them at bay for a few seconds, and he was able to slide down beside Annie.</p><p>“Just three left.” Jeff muttered, low enough that only Annie could hear it.</p><p>“We’re trapped in this position though.” </p><p>“We need to pick one off.” </p><p>“Which one do you suggest?” Annie asked.</p><p>“We could high-low kobra kai-guy?” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“That could work.”</p><p>Annie did as she did earlier, and laid down on the floor, firing underneath the booths towards the feet of their target. She didn’t hit him, as her first few shots hit one of the many metal bars in between Annie and them, but one of the shots made it all the way through, barely missing its target. However, the realization of Annie going for his feet made kobra kai jump slightly, which Jeff took advantage of, hitting the dirty karateka with a light blue shot right to his black clothing. </p><p>“Liam!” Annie-Kim cried out, for the first time reacting to any of her many henchmen getting shot. </p><p>Annie tried take advantage, shooting towards Annie-Kim, but missed, as Annie-Kim was smart enough to stay low. Annie ducked down again, aware that she would be a target for the remaining henchman if she stayed where she was – even with Jeff covering her. </p><p>It was now two versus two, Annie and Jeff versus Annie-Kim and some poorly done Harry Potter. This was it, the final stand. Annie desperately wanted to take down Annie-Kim last, and make an example out of her. Annie peeked out and shot towards Harry Potter. They were well hidden, but it baited out Annie-Kim, who then shot towards Annie, who just as quickly as Annie-Kim popped up ducked down again. Jeff shot towards Annie-Kim, who mirrored Annie’s movement in getting down low again. That lured Harry Potter out of his hiding, and he peeked out to fire at Jeff. Annie was alert, and beat him to the punch, hitting him straight in his shoulder. </p><p>However, Jeff saw Annie-Kim peek out again, and saw her eyes trained on Annie as she quickly aimed her gun. Jeff knew what was going on, and closed the short gap over to Annie, tackling her down the ground before she could get hit, taking the bullet to his back in the process. Annie laid there on her back in the row between the booths, with Jeff’s weight over her. Annie-Kim stood up to see them better, and that’s when Annie struck. With her free left hand, she fired a shot right towards Annie-Kim. </p><p>And it hit. The shot landed right on the side of her head, hitting Annie-Kim’s hood, leaving a big, yellow mark. Annie-Kim screamed loudly, throwing her gun right into the floor in a fit of anger before the one she had previously called Liam ran up to her to hug her and calm her down. Jeff and Annie both looked at Annie-Kim, then back at each other. Annie was smiling widely, while Jeff smiled proudly at her ingenuity in shooting Annie-Kim right at that moment. Jeff lifted himself off her and stood up, then pulled Annie up with him.</p><p>“I won!” Annie exclaimed happily, bouncing up and down in joy, shamelessly celebrating her victory in the view of a dejected and mad Annie-Kim, who was still being consoled. </p><p>Then a shot was fired. Annie gasped audibly and looked down in shock and horror to see a bring pink mark on her stomach, contrasting clearly with the dark fabric of her outfit.</p><p>“Did you really think I would let you get away with trashing the campus like this?” </p><p>Annie looked up, and saw Frankie standing there at the side entrance to the cafeteria with her arms crossed, and a paintball gun in hand. Frankie then walked further inside the cafeteria. “Did you really think I would let this childish behavior go and just <em>‘clean up the mess’</em> on Monday?”</p><p>“Frankie!” Annie groaned in frustration. “They’ve been hunting us down all over campus, what did you expect us to do?”</p><p>“I expected nothing of you, and still you disappointed me. You and your group, and most of the others attending that party tonight acted like petulant children, with no concern for the consequences of your actions. Annie, you work for the FBI now, you’re better than this. You’re better than destroying the whole campus just for some stupid revenge over some girl that is quite clearly jealous that you got a good job while she’s still stuck here. Yet you sunk down to her level.” Frankie ranted.</p><p>“And you, Jeff. A teacher taking an active part in this. I could have you fired for this. And I could have suspended numerous students. But I won’t do that. Instead, consider this a lesson. We won’t do this crap anymore. As fun as you might think it is, these things <em>ruin</em> our budgets. Now we must spend thousands of dollars trying to remove all the paint, because we must pay the janitorial staff overtime for hours and hours. It’s time to grow up, guys.”</p><p>“Frankie, we’ll help clean up tomorrow. Threaten everyone that took part with suspension if they don’t show up to clean tomorrow, and they’ll show.” Annie offered.</p><p>“Good. I’ll do that, and I expect to see <em>all of you</em>.”</p><p>“But Frankie, didn’t you get shot earlier?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“I smudged some paint on my outfit so I could teach all of you a lesson. It doesn’t matter who wins this. Because of you, <em>everyone</em> lost.” Frankie explained.</p><p>Then another shot was fired, hitting Frankie’s witch-outfit in the side, leaving no doubt this time. Everyone in the room looked to the side, over to the cafeteria counter. There stood Britta, who had somehow snuck into the room during everything undetected.</p><p>“I won! Wooooooooooooooo!” She exclaimed loudly, fist pumping aggressively with both arms before she started very awkwardly shuffling in celebration.</p><p>Annie smiled, as they all looked at Britta loudly celebrating her own long-awaited paintball victory. “Well Frankie, I guess <em>somebody</em> won.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you so much for reading! This is the first time I've ever written a purely action based chapter, so if you have any feedback, please let me know!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Annie's having a rough day at work after some personal troubles. Her co-workers try to help out.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Annie? Are you okay?”</p><p>The calm voice broke Annie out of her own mind, shaking her back to reality. She was at work, sitting at her desk, where she had been tasked with filling out some forms for Cam. She had smiled and nodded when he asked her, then went back to her desk with the necessary papers to fill out some boring forms for the electrical fire case they had been working on. They had established that the fire was likely started by something other than faulty electrics, rather that it was likely a fire started intentionally. They had reported their findings back but needed to file the necessary paperwork in order to get the permission to investigate the site again. </p><p>However, shortly after Annie sat down by her desk, her mind had started to drift off to other things. She supposed that Mason had spotted her fidgeting with her pen, staring off into the soft nothingness of the light blue shelved wall that separated her from the workstation opposite hers. They were very specific about that – they weren’t cubicles, as Annie had said in passing in a conversation with Henry, her boss – they were workstations. As Henry had said specifically, cubicles reminded him too much of the classic gray, corporate office landscapes. He wanted a mesh between that and the open office landscapes, to let people have privacy and freedom, all while keeping a somewhat open office area. The backside to that was that the coworker behind you could easily notice if you weren’t working.</p><p>Annie startled back to reality and turned around in a hurry to respond. “Hm! Yeah! Yeah, I’m fine.” She hurriedly replied, her purple pen crashing into the side wall as she let go of it in a hurry.</p><p>Mason looked at her, his eyes narrowed. He didn’t look convinced. “Are you sure? Do you want take a break?”</p><p>“I’m fine, really. And I can’t take a break right now, I need to finish this up first.” Annie insisted.</p><p>“Okay.” Mason responded, though he seemed less than convinced based on his raised eyebrow. “I’m going to lunch now anyway. Have a nice day Annie.” He added, smiling warmly to her.</p><p>“Thank you, you too!” Annie returned, and put on a bright smile. Mason smiled and nodded, then walked off.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>A while later, a soft knock on the side wall of her workstation shook Annie out of her focus, causing Annie to jolt and rapidly turn around yet again.<p>“Hi, how’s it going?” Cam asked her softly. </p><p>“Uhm, done in a few minutes, I think.” Annie replied, and put on a kind smile.</p><p>“Okay. Emily and I am going for a late lunch. I was wondering if you wanted to join us?” Cam asked her.</p><p>“Uhm, I’m not finished yet. I want to get this done first.” Annie replied, hesitant to leave before her work was done. She wanted to finish things, rather than keeping it on her mind. If she left it unfinished, for her to wrap up later, it’d sit there in the back of her mind, gnawing at her, annoying her. She had to finish it.</p><p>“We can wait a little bit. Wrap it up, then come by my office when you’re done. We can wait for you.” Cam replied kindly.</p><p>Annie’s mouth turned upwards into smile, smiling brighter and brighter. “Yeah, I’d like that.”</p><p>“Great. I’ll let Emily know.” </p><p>“Thank you. I won’t take long, I promise!” Annie said happily, unable to hide how pleased she was with his kindness. </p><p>Cam smiled and nodded knowingly. “By the way, I like what you’ve done with the place.” He commented, nodding his head towards the decorations she’d made to her workplace.</p><p>"Thanks!"</p><p>Annie in truth hadn’t done much, but she had brought with her a box of some things one day, encouraged by Henry’s suggestion that the workstation should feel safe and personal, instead of being a sterile office. Henry seemed to detest that more than anything in the world. </p><p>With that in mind, Annie had brought with her a framed picture, featuring herself, Jeff, Shirley, Pierce, Troy, Abed and Britta together in the study room. It was one of the nicer pictures they had together, naturally taken by the always photo-happy Craig. Though he often wanted to feature himself. Jeff had frequently suggested that he himself should take the pictures to avoid being in them, but it wouldn’t feel right without him in them. On each side of the picture on the shelf, Annie had put various colorful binders, and a textbook. She had contemplated whether or not to bring the textbook, but figured that it couldn’t hurt to have it there in case she needed to refresh on something. She’d rather be certain than make a silly mistake she could avoid. </p><p>She had also considered bringing with her a stuffie, just to make it completely homely, but she hadn’t built up the boldness to bring one with her just yet, in fear of being mocked by her coworkers. She had a professional, mature façade to keep up, so she didn’t want to break that by bringing one with her, despite how much she wanted to. And even then, deciding which stuffie to bring would be near impossible, the options were many, and all of them excellent.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>Not too long after, Annie found herself walking into the nearby café she had started to frequent in the lunch breaks she shared with her coworkers. They had ordered some food, and idly chatted about their day so far, when suddenly Cam asked the question Annie had been dreading.<p>“So, Annie, what’s going on? You look…off today.” Cam questioned, then took a sip from his cup of coffee.</p><p>“Nothing, I’m fine.” Annie lied. “I’ll try to work harder though, sorry if my effort hasn’t been good enough today, it won’t happen again.”</p><p>“No no, your effort is fine Annie. You were supposed to have the paper sent to me by the end of the day, but you’re already done. And last I checked, there’s plenty of hours left in the day. But you look a bit distracted, like something is on your mind.” Cam clarified.</p><p>“Oh. Right. Uhm, it’s nothing to worry about, I promise.” Annie insisted.</p><p>“If it’s something at work, <em>please</em> tell me, Henry or HR about it.” </p><p>“Cam, stop giving her a hard time. If she doesn’t want to talk about it, that’s her right.” Emily interjected herself into the conversation to say.</p><p>“No, uh, it’s fine. It’s just some personal problems, or disagreements.” Annie defused.</p><p>That seemed to peek both Emily and Cam’s interest, as they both very subtly tilted their heads, clearly intrigued by the little Annie had let on. </p><p>“Want to talk about it? Might be helpful to let it out.” Emily suggested. Cam remained silent, as he had been after Emily called him out. She seemed to have that effect on him, like she could tame him with her words in an instant</p><p>“Well, I’ve been having some disagreements with my roommate recently. She, uh, likes to get high on occasion, but we have an agreement that she’d avoid doing it in the apartment, since I can’t stand the smell of it. But we were at a party on Saturday, at my old college. And she turned up high. Turns out she had been smoking inside the apartment, and she hadn’t bothered opening the windows or anything to air it out.” Annie began recapping.</p><p>“Jeesh, some roommate.” Cam commented.</p><p>“Right? So, my boyfriend, Jeff offered that I could stay over with him for a while, until things cooled down again, or as long as I want.”</p><p>“Aw, that’s sweet of him.” Emily replied.</p><p>“Yeah. I told him yes, but then another friend of mine, who’s very perceptive, blurted out that Jeff actually wants me to move in with him. Not just temporarily, but permanently.” Annie continued.</p><p>“I mean, isn’t it a good sign that he’s committed to you?” Cam asked.</p><p>“Well, yes, but it’s just…it’s going very fast. We’ve been together for barely two months. And now suddenly he wants me to live with him, permanently. Sure, I’ve stayed over a lot, sometimes multiple days in a row, and I have clothes and a toothbrush there, he buys food I like, and stuff like that, but I did all of that knowing that I had somewhere to go back to if I needed to, you know?”</p><p>“Do you like living with him?” Emily interjected to ask.</p><p>“I do, it’s been very nice.”</p><p>“And how are his habits, compared to yours?” Emily followed up.</p><p>“Uhm, somewhat similar? He’s a bit more of a <em>‘take it as it comes’</em> kinda guy, if you know what I mean? I like to plan things, while he’s very relaxed. And I do like that, a lot. I feel more at ease with him, like I can let my shoulders down. And he’s very clean and neat, so that’s not a problem, and he doesn’t seem to mind waking up around the same time as me. We eat different things, he’s very strict about his diet, but he seems to be a bit more flexible for me.” Annie tried to explain.</p><p>“Okay, at least it sounds like it wouldn’t be too rough of a transition?” Emily said.</p><p>“No, it’s not that. I don’t think that’s a problem. But it’s going so fast. I feel like we’ve kind of dived in headfirst. We never really just went on dates, you know? We just started hanging out at his place, and then I started staying over often. But being with him often and <em>living</em> with him are two different things. I don’t want to rush into this. I’ve never really done this, this relationship thing. But it just feels like we’re both running right into it. What if we end up fighting? What if it doesn’t work out? Then I’ve got nowhere to go, because it’s his place, and then things will just be awkward and difficult, and I don’t know what to do!” Annie rambled, gradually starting to breathe quicker and quicker as her thoughts came pouring out of her mind like a dam that just broke.</p><p>Cam and Emily remained completely silent, and out of the corner of her eye, Annie could see that the rest of the cafeteria had gone quiet, with the barista and a few guests subtly looking at her, before looking away. Annie’s eyes widened, and her mouth opened, but no words came out.</p><p>“Annie…” Cam began.</p><p>“No.” Annie interrupted. “I’m sorry you had to see that, I’m gonna go.” Annie said, and started shifting out of her window seat.</p><p>“Annie, wait.” Cam said, but Annie wasn’t stopping. </p><p>“Let her go Cam, I’ll try to talk with her.” Emily said, while Annie rushed out of the cafeteria.</p><p>A few minutes later, Emily found Annie sitting on a bench in a small park further down the road. She was sitting there with her face in her hands, not at all paying attention to the few people passing by who eyed her curiously.</p><p>“Hey.” Emily said softly as she approached Annie.</p><p>“Don’t look at me. I’m so embarrassed. I just ranted about all my personal issues in a cafeteria like some mess, and now I just look like a child for running off.” Annie said, still not looking at Emily.</p><p>Emily sat down beside Annie, and leaned forwards, looking at Annie to her right. “You’re not. You’re in a new job, and you’ve clearly got a lot going on in your life, Annie. It’s enough to make anyone want to blow up.”</p><p>“It’s just…I don’t know what to do. I feel lost. Normally I would talk with Jeff, but obviously I can’t. And I can’t talk with Britta either. I have another friend, but she’s a gossip, so I can’t tell her either. It’s just been lingering in me this whole week, and it’s driving me insane.” Annie explained.</p><p>“I can listen, if you want?”</p><p>Annie looked up from her hands, and looked over at Emily. “You would?”</p><p>“Sure. I won’t tell anyone, not even Cam.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Annie said, and smiled weakly. “It started this past weekend. I was at a Halloween party at my old college, and I went with Jeff because we were doing a couple’s costume, so I was with him the whole day. We got there, and a while later my roommate showed up. She still studies there, and we’ve been friends for years. But she turned up alone, and we realized that she was high. I asked her if she did it in the apartment, since we’ve agreed that she’ll do it elsewhere. She knows that I hate the smell, and we’ve talked about it before. But it turned out that she had done it in the apartment, and hadn’t opened the window while she did it, or after she left. I got mad at her, and obviously didn’t want to be there when it smelled like that, so Jeff offered that I could stay with him.”</p><p>“Yeah, you said that.”</p><p>“Right. So I have this friend, Abed, who was back for the weekend, and we met him at the party. He’s super perceptive, like scarily so. And he just blurted out that Jeff doesn’t just want me to stay with him for a few days, Jeff wants me to <em>move in</em>, <em>permanently</em>.” Annie continued.</p><p>“Did Jeff say anything?” Emily asked.</p><p>“That’s the thing, he did this thing of his, where he just said that Abed was reading into things, but Abed didn’t back down on it, and Jeff just went silent.” Annie instantly responded, not missing a single beat.</p><p>“Did you say anything?”</p><p>“I saw that Jeff was uncomfortable, and I didn’t want to talk about it there, so I distracted them both. But then I brought it up again yesterday, because I felt like we had to talk about it. And he got weird again. He didn’t seem like he knew what to say, so I asked him straight up, if he was thinking about asking me. And he said <em>‘yes’</em> just like that. And he was standing there, waiting for me to respond, but when he said it like that, I didn’t know what to say. And I could see it in his eyes that it hurt him, that I was hurting him by not saying anything. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t say yes. It’s too early. But I want to. Eventually. I do. But I don’t want to rush into things. I just couldn’t bring myself to say that to him. I just told him that I couldn’t.” Annie said, her eyes starting to glisten with tears.</p><p>“Annie...” </p><p>A tear started trickling down Annie’s cheek. “I hurt him so much. I knew right then that I crushed him, that he was starting to doubt things.” </p><p>“Annie, if he was ready to ask you to move in with him, then I don’t think he’d suddenly start to have doubts.” Emily pointed out.</p><p>“No, it’s not that. It’s, I fear he’s doubting if I feel the same as him. He did it when I got a job interview in Arizona. He told me that everything was fine, but it wasn’t. It broke him, because he thought I would leave him.” Annie explained.</p><p>“Why would he think that if it was just a job offer?” Emily asked.</p><p>Annie sniffled audibly. “We had just started dating, and everything was new. And then we got speedbump right away. And he didn’t tell me that he was afraid about me leaving, and just got distant. And I didn’t realize that he was taking it badly. We made up again later, but I think he has doubts about how committed I am. He’s older, so he’s probably thinking that I’m just going to leave him. But I’m not! I won’t do that. I just want us to continue being where we are. And me not being able to say that to him…. I ruined it, Em.” </p><p>“Have you talked with him since?”</p><p>“I was there for a bit longer, then I went back to the apartment. It was just awkward. He didn’t know what to say, and I couldn’t find the words. I just feel horrible. I’ve been avoiding him, because I hurt him, and I can’t think of how to make it right again. I didn’t text him this morning, I didn’t call him, and we always do that if I’m not at his place. I just don’t know what to do.”</p><p>“There’s only one thing you can do, you have to talk with him. Tell him what you told me. That you want to stay where you are, and that you don’t want to rush into that part of the relationship. He’ll understand if you tell him, Annie. If you just avoid him, you’ll hurt him more. And you don’t want that, I know you don’t.” Emily calmly explained, and held her arm over Annie’s back, consoling her as she gently weeped.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>A few hours later in the afternoon, Annie was back at work. She had returned from break a little late along with Emily and Cam, which worried her, seeing as she was the new person there. However, Cam told her not to worry, and went to clear things up with Henry. Henry graciously came over to her workstation a while later, and told her that she needn’t worry about it.<p>She was grateful for the conversation with Emily, and how supportive she had been in just listening to her. They didn’t know each other well yet, but Annie appreciated her for being so kind and welcoming to her, even though they strictly speaking didn’t have to. She had to get along with Cam, sure, but Emily had gone out of her way to make her comfortable.</p><p>Annie heard a soft knock on the wall of her station, and turned around to see who it was. “Hi, I got you this.” Mason told her softly, and handed her a plastic cup. “It’s hot chocolate. Didn’t know if you liked coffee or not, went for the safe option.” </p><p>“Aw, thank you. That’s very sweet.” Annie smiled, and accepted the cup from him.</p><p>“Emily told me you’re not having a great day, so I just wanted to say to feel better soon.” Mason told her, and gave Annie a tight-lipped smile.</p><p>“Oh, thank you. I’ll try.”</p><p>“Alright, I’ll let you have some space now. Don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything.” </p><p>“Thank you, you too.” Annie returned kindly, and watched Mason head back to his station, before she turned back to her own. Annie took a sip of the hot chocolate, which was still warm. It wasn’t the best she had ever tried, but she supposed the machines in the building didn’t make the best hot chocolate in the world. Annie set the cup safely aside on her desk, and glanced up at the picture on her shelf. Her and the group, with both her and Jeff sporting silly grins from something funny they had done that day, the silly grin she hadn’t seen on his face since their talk. She needed to speak with him once she got back.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“Professor Winger, when is the exam?” Garrett shrieked out in the middle of the lecture, as Jeff was just explaining a supreme court decision regarding a failed hand surgery, in which the plaintiff had been promised a 100% good hand before undergoing the surgery.<p>“Garrett, what did I tell you about interrupting?” Jeff snapped back at him instantly.</p><p>“But this is important informa-“</p><p>“It’s information I posted online months ago, and it’s in the PowerPoint I published from the first lecture. Exam is sometime in mid-December, just check online, Garrett.” Jeff sighed.</p><p>“I know Stacy tried to shoot you this weekend, and I’m really sorry, but you don’t need to be rude to me like that!” Garrett whined to Jeff in response, in his uniquely screeching manner.</p><p>Jeff was about to point his finger at Garrett, but caught himself. He shut his eyes, and took a deep breath to compose himself before he spoke. “It’s not about that. And last I checked, she was on the losing side, so why would I care?”</p><p>“Hey!” Stacy protested.</p><p>Jeff ignored her protests. “I don’t like to be interrupted while I’m explaining something, <em>especially</em> when it’s info we’ve been over before, and that you should be able to find yourself. If you’ve got a question, raise your hand.” He explained through gritted teeth.</p><p>“I agree with Professor Winger, you should’ve learned this like two years ago.” Dave added from the back row.</p><p>“Well excuse me for not being as good at technology as you!” Garrett screeched back at him, taking great offense at the comment.</p><p>“Enough!” Jeff commanded loudly. "Garrett, you need to learn this by yourself. Get Stacy to help you or something, or ask by reaching up your hand, or ask after class.” </p><p>“Stacy won’t help me.” Garrett replied.</p><p>“Well if even she’s given up, then maybe you should get your shit together.” Jeff snapped at him, leaving the class in stunned silence. “Anyway, back to what I was saying. The plaintiff was awarded damages, and is a great example of <em>expectation damages</em>, which means that the attempt is to put the plaintiff into the same position they would be in if the contract hadn’t been breached, usually by awarding financial compensation.”</p><p>With the class recovering their focus, Jeff went on to explain further examples of recovering damages from broken promises, before handing them all some pieces of paper stapled together.</p><p>“<em>This</em> is your assignment for next time.” Jeff began explaining once they were all handed out. “It’s an older exam which I thought looked interesting. I want you to break into groups to discuss it right now, and then I want you all to individually complete it and deliver it to me by midnight on Sunday. And I stress that it is an <em>individual</em> assignment. Consider it practice for your actual exam.” </p><p>“Further information will be posted online, where you will also deliver it. I won’t accept any hand-written assignments, especially after that block letter crap I got from Garrett last year. Never again. All the information you may need is online, so check there, or email me if you have any questions. And yes, you can also find a digital copy of the assignment there, so don’t even <em>think</em> about saying that your dog ate it.” He quickly added to avoid any doubts, then paused to take a breath. “Everyone got that? Good, break into groups.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“Ah, he lives!” Duncan exclaimed loudly as Jeff came walking into the teacher’s lounge with his food.<p>Jeff tilted his head at the comment, and sat down across from the raven-haired brit. “What?”</p><p>“Merely wondering if you had endured the ol’ paintball escapade of yours.” Duncan clarified.</p><p>“Didn’t win, but came damn close.” Jeff said, before starting to eat.</p><p>“Ah. Better luck next time I suppose.”</p><p>Jeff swallowed, then responded. “Well I doubt there will be a next time.”</p><p>“May I ask why? Is the ol’ fixer lady breathing down your neck too? I swear, she is out for blood after she discovered that I had a secret stash in my office. I even restocked it, and then some blithering idiot came and drank it all up over the weekend.” Duncan said, and groaned in frustration.</p><p>“That’d be Leonard.” Jeff replied instantly.</p><p>“Aha! I <em>knew</em> it!” Duncan exclaimed loudly, pointing his finger in victory. “I’m going to get that decrepit old wheezer. But you didn’t answer my question.”</p><p>Jeff sighed loudly. “Me and Frankie are fine. She can’t fire me for it, since I didn’t instigate anything. Which you can witness to. But if it happens again, she just might.” </p><p>“She is a very difficult woman. No idea how you all endured her for a year.”</p><p>“Think it was worse the other way around.” Jeff said with a slight laugh at how frustrated Frankie had been at times. “Anyway, what happened to you on Saturday?”</p><p>“I’ll tell you what happened. I was shot, straight in the chest. Ruined my perfectly clean lab coat. Tried washing it, but to no avail. I’m going to take another one next time I stop by the lab.” </p><p>“Same fate as me then. Got the stain out of the shirt though, thankfully. Just bought it a day earlier.”</p><p>“Well that is a relief, isn’t it? But I think we might need some stain removal for you too, because quite frankly you look like shit today, Jeff.” Duncan told him, his eyes studying Jeff with intense scrutiny.</p><p>“Thanks, feel like it too.” Jeff snapped back at him.</p><p>“Trouble in paradise, is it?”</p><p>Jeff sighed audibly in frustration. “You could say so. Was supposed to be a really good day, instead I feel like hell. I barely slept, and I mostly want to go back to bed.” </p><p>“Well my friend, do you want to have a drink and chat about it?” Duncan offered, pulling out a bottle of scotch from his bag.</p><p>“Trying to cut down on the alcohol lately, so no.” Jeff replied, shaking his head at the offer.</p><p>“Ah, has the ol’ ball and chain told you to stop? That what’s causing your misery?” </p><p>“No, I decided to stop. Partly for her, but mostly for myself. Was for the best to cut down on it.” </p><p>“Ah, Winger finally back on the wagon.” </p><p>“I still have a bottle of Macallan 18 with my name on it back home, so I’m not completely on. I’ll still have the occasional drink, but I can’t go drink every single day. Hell, you should consider quitting too.” </p><p>“Ah, well you see, unlike you I don’t have a lovely lady to get me off the alcohol, so I’ll take the comfort I can get.”</p><p>“Get you off? Phrasing, Duncan, phrasing.” Jeff teased.</p><p>“Oh sod off.”</p><p>Jeff grinned, very pleased with how he unsettled Duncan. “What about you, did you like Britta’s costume?”</p><p>“You knew that was gonna happen, didn’t you?” Duncan asked accusingly.</p><p>“Knew that Britta was going to dress up like a hotdog? No, wasn’t aware of that.”</p><p>“Oh come on Winger, you know what I meant.” Duncan groaned.</p><p>“Maaaaay have had an idea she was dressing up as anything except what you were hoping for, yes.”</p><p>“You know, sometimes I think you enjoy my misery.”</p><p>“Well when you tee one up like that, I can’t help it.” Jeff replied with a mischievous grin.</p><p>“Ah, I did not know you were a golfer?”</p><p>“I’m definitely not a golfer. Played a few rounds with some clients years ago, hated it. Don’t think you could find a single sport I’m less suited for.” </p><p>“Ah, shame. Would have liked to see you play.”</p><p>“Do you play?” Jeff asked.</p><p>“Nah, can’t afford it. Those golf clubs are bloody expensive, I’ll stick to cycling and watching footie.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>Once lunchbreak was over, Jeff taught a fairly uneventful class of introduction to law, only marked by a student wrongly interpreting a question, and delivering a long, but ultimately inaccurate answer given the circumstances. Jeff got a slight chuckle out of it and commended her for the effort, despite the mistake. Afterwards he headed back home, filled with dread. The apartment would no doubt be empty, like he left it that morning. When asked the question, he had doubled down, hoping Annie would agree. Instead she had turned him down. Things had been weird, and he hadn’t gotten much sleep. He didn’t like where they left things, how awkward things had been. It wasn’t his intention to ask her just yet, certainly not like that, but he didn’t want to lie either. Jeff <em>did</em> want Annie to move in. It made sense to him. All he could hope for now was that he hadn’t reached for it all too soon, and fallen down to earth.<p>Jeff keyed himself into his building, and hurried past Craig’s door out of habit, though he suspected he was still at work. Habitually, he locked himself in, and instantly saw her sitting there on the couch. “Hey.” Annie greeted, with a tone Jeff wasn’t able to read properly.</p><p>“Hey. Back from work early?” Jeff returned as he took off his jacket and shoes.</p><p>“Yeah, they let me go a bit earlier.” Annie confirmed shortly.</p><p>“Oh, okay. That’s nice of them.”</p><p>“I mean, sure. But I wasn’t focused. And that’s part of why I’m here.”</p><p>Jeff took a deep breath. “I figured.”</p><p>“Jeff, can we talk? About yesterday?” Annie asked, and looked at him with worried, questioning eyes, the same ones who had spellbound him for years.</p><p>“Yeah, let’s.” Jeff agreed, and sat down across from her. “I don’t know what you want me to say though, I meant all I said. It wasn’t how I wanted to tell you, or the timing, but Abed wasn’t wrong.”</p><p>“No, you don’t owe me anything Jeff. I feel like I need to explain. I wanted to tell you yesterday, but I wanted to find a way to tell you without hurting you. But I couldn’t do that. And because I didn’t explain anything, I think I ended up hurting you even more.” Annie began explaining, and her eyes sunk slightly, as she attempted to explain.</p><p>“Annie, are you..?” Jeff asked her in a worried tone, without finishing the sentence.</p><p>Annie’s head shot up, an alarmed expression on her face. “No! No. I’m not doing that. Just hear me out, please?”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“The reason I said no is that I’m afraid, Jeff. We’ve done this so fast. We’ve been dating two months. And I’ve loved it, I want to continue that. But if we move in together, then it’s suddenly all serious. And it’s just….I’m scared, Jeff.” Annie continued explaining, her eyes blinking as she tried to maintain her composure</p><p>“Scared that we won’t work out?”</p><p>“No. Well, yes. I love you. I need you to know that.”</p><p>“I love you too Annie.”</p><p>“But if I move in here now, then it’s like a little part of what I’ve fought so hard for ever since I left for rehab is just gone, you know?” </p><p>“Like your independence is gone.” Jeff answered for her.</p><p>“Yeah.” Annie replied, displaying a slight, tight-lipped smile from his understanding.</p><p>“I get that, I do. I’m used to living alone, it’s all I’ve done for years now. But these past two months I’ve gotten so used to you being here that it just feels empty when you’re not. I admit it, it’s selfish of me. I want you to be here because I miss you when you’re not around.” Jeff admitted to her.</p><p>“I like being here too. It’s been much easier than I thought. I feared I wouldn’t able to sleep as easily with my, uh…forget it.”</p><p>“Your plushies?”</p><p>“Stuffies.” Annie corrected. “I don’t sleep as well without them, but I’ve been able to just fine here. I feel safe here with you, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me. Jeff, I’ve been scared to death before by the sound of someone knocking on the door to my apartment. At one point, I owned a <em>gun</em>.”</p><p>“<em>What!?</em>” Jeff exclaimed loudly</p><p>“It was when I lived above Dildopolis. It wasn’t safe, and I was scared. Someone got stabbed outside of my building, Jeff. I had to apply a tourniquet just to keep them alive until the ambulance arrived. You have no idea how much it means to me to just feel safe. It’s why I was so happy to move in with Troy and Abed, because the neighborhood was much better.”</p><p>Jeff didn’t waste any time, and quickly moved over to sit on the same couch as her, and pulled her into a hug, with Annie leaning her head against his chest as he held her tightly, protectively and safely. “Annie, I had no idea, if I had known, I would have-“</p><p>Annie interrupted him to speak while she stayed snuggled up to him. “You were worried about me. I remember. And you were right, I was just too stubborn to admit that you were right. But I got out of there, and I sold the gun a few years ago. But I still needed my stuffies. I couldn’t sleep without them. I brought some with me to D.C. just to have something around me as I slept, something to hold onto. I know it might seem childish, but it’s just-“</p><p>“It’s not childish. It’s you, Annie.” Jeff interrupted her in return. </p><p>“You don’t mind?” </p><p>“Not at all. Annie, you once proudly showed me how you snuck in an extra stuffie to a class, when you were supposed to only bring one. I still remember that, because you looked so proud of how you were cheating the system a tiny bit. I’ve known about you having them for years. And I don’t mind at all. I’ve accepted who you are, with all your funny quirks and habits. I don’t want you to change that under the guise that you need to grow up. Getting rid of them won’t make you be more mature, that’s just a lie people tell themselves to appear more well put together. It’s a lie I told myself, as I stripped away all of the things I liked to do as a kid and as a teenager, and put up barriers around all of it. I’ve spent my whole adult life compartmentalizing the stuff I like. Don’t ever do that, Annie. Be yourself.”</p><p>“Awww, Jeff!” Annie cooed sweetly, and moved herself out of the safe embrace of his arms and chest, to plant a sweet kiss on his lips. “You don’t need to hide that from me either, you know.”</p><p>“So, you accept that I secretly really like Star Wars?”</p><p>“I’ve lived with Troy and Abed; I think we can make it work.” Annie smiled.</p><p>Jeff smiled in return. “Yeah. But uhm, regarding the whole moving in thing. You don’t have to. Don’t feel like you’re forced to do that. I’m fine with keeping us where we are right now.” </p><p>“Thank you, Jeff. For understanding. I just don’t want to rush into it, when we don’t need to. Especially when it just came out of me being mad at Britta, and Abed spilling your thoughts before you felt ready to say them. It wouldn’t feel right, you know?”</p><p>“Yeah. I get that. Let’s keep it comfortable for now, and then when the time feels right, we can bring it back up again.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“Deal.” Annie replied, smiling brightly at him. </p><p>Jeff returned the smile, feeling a great wave of relief over how well the situation had turned out. True, Annie wouldn’t be moving in, but the door wasn’t closed on the future, and for now he was just happy that she didn’t seem to being anywhere, despite him rushing into it quicker than she had wanted. </p><p>Before they could settle down again, something popped into Jeff’s mind. “By the way, I have some news.” He announced in a cheerful tone.</p><p>“Oh?” Annie asked, tilting her head slightly.</p><p>“I called up Mark before going to work this morning, to tell him that I’m accepting his offer.”</p><p>“Jeff!” Annie exclaimed, and hurled herself into his arms, hugging him happily. “That’s amazing! Congratulations! What did he say?”</p><p>“He told me that he was happy I did, and that we can meet up in a few days to work out the details.” Jeff responded happily, a wide grin showing on his face. “I wanted to tell you that I was going to take the job yesterday, but you know..”</p><p>“Doesn’t matter now, I’m so happy for you! Have you told Patterson &amp; Young?”</p><p>“No, I think I’ll call them tomorrow to let them know. It’ll only be consultancy work initially, but I think I should let Craig know that I intend to quit Greendale in the summer.”</p><p>“That should be interesting…”</p><p>“Yeah….I doubt he’ll take it well. I’ll tell him once all the details are worked out and the contract is signed. Won’t interfere with my work at Greendale anyway.” </p><p>“I don’t think he’ll care about that. Prepare for crying, lots of it.” Annie warned him with a serious tone, though a smile crept through.</p><p>“Oh I know. Considering sending him an email about it in March and moving to an unknown address overnight.”</p><p>“Jeeeeff!” Annie said, and slapped his chest lightly. “You can’t do that, he’ll be heartbroken!”</p><p>“He’ll be heartbroken anyway. But I’ll be nice. I’ll tell him after I’ve signed so he doesn’t turn up to rip the deal up or something.” </p><p>“Okay, good. That sounds like a plan.”</p><p>“Just keep the key close to you, don’t let him ever see it.” Jeff warned sternly.</p><p>Annie rolled her eyes at him. “Jeeeeff…” </p><p>“I’m serious. He’ll get in here if you’re not careful. He’s sneakier than you think.” </p><p>“Fine, I will keep your spare key safe for you.”</p><p>“Great. By the way, I overheard someone at work talk about a nice new coffee place downtown. Want to go check it out?”</p><p>Annie’s face lit up in a bright smile. “Yeah!”</p><p>“Okay, let’s head out then.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hey, thanks for reading! I wrote a little piece involving Duncan and Britta having a personal talk after class, which is set a few days after this piece. I'd be super thankful if you checked it out! </p><p>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27335749</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff makes a decision about his future, and decides to go celebrate this next step in his life.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the wait! Hope you'll like this chapter! :D</p><p>Thanks to Morganatique/Morganecdote for helping me with some translation!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Jeffrey!” Craig called out after Jeff, who was heading out the doors of Greendale in a hurry.</p><p>Jeff stopped, took a deep breath, and turned around to face him. “What?”</p><p>“You look angry, is everything okay?” </p><p>“I’m in a hurry, I’ve got somewhere to be, and I got held up with questions in class.” Jeff explained rapidly, while looking over his shoulder, wanting to leave right away.</p><p>“Oh.” Craig uttered. “Well, you are very well dressed, I must say. I like the look.” He added, before slowly running his hands over the fine fabric of Jeff’s dark gray suit.</p><p>Jeff knocked Craigs hands off the suit. “Hands off, don’t wrinkle it.”</p><p>“Jeffrey!” Craig gasped. “I have noticed that you hurry away from here very quickly these days. Are you not satisfied here?”</p><p>“Well in case you didn’t notice, the reason I stayed after classes before was to be with the study group. Right now, the only one of them left is Britta, and we barely overlap as it is. So no, I don’t stay around much. And right now, I can’t because I have plans.” Jeff explained with a tinge of annoyance in his tone.</p><p>“Well, we should do something about that! We don’t want you to be unhappy here, Jeffrey. How about we throw you a little party? We can invite the group over and have some fun! We can even dress up! I have some great ideas for costumes.” Craig excitedly suggested.</p><p>“Dean, Halloween wasn’t even two weeks ago, and it was a complete disaster.” </p><p>“Oh, don’t worry about that. I gave Chang an official reprimand, and Ms. Annie Kim was warned not to incite any further attacks against students or teachers, both current and former.” Craig announced proudly.</p><p>“I’m not doing a costume party. Of all the things I could do to spend my day, that’s dead last.” Jeff said adamantly. </p><p>“But-“</p><p>“<em>No.</em>” Jeff interrupted with a determined point of his finger, before Craig had the chance to finish his sentence. “We’re <em>not</em> having a party. If you throw one, I won’t be there. And I really need to go now. See you tomorrow.” He continued with an irritable tone, before he turned to walk off.</p><p>“Jeffrey!” Craig exclaimed, and quickly ran to catch up with Jeff’s long strides. “Why are you in such a hurry! Is this related to the fancy suit?” He questioned, but Jeff didn’t reply. Craig gasped audibly, and his eyes went wide in shocked terror. “Are you leaving us? Do you have an interview elsewhere!?” He asked loudly, pulling on Jeff’s suit to get a response, but still not getting one, other than Jeff slapping his hand off the suit. “I’ll do anything! I’ll give you a better classroom! Better pay! Wait, no, we don’t have that money. I’ll fire someone and then pay you better!” </p><p>Jeff finally stopped, as the Dean’s questioning had finally gotten on his nerves enough for him to reply. With pursed lips and a furrow brow, he glared at the smaller man. “It’s none of your business. I’m not telling you now, but maybe, if you’re nice, I’ll tell you later.” He threatened, knowing that nothing hurt Craig more than lack of information. He had long since changed the password of his email, added two-factor authentication and threatened with a lawsuit if Craig ever accessed his email again, so he knew that the curious bald man that was his boss, and frighteningly, his neighbor wouldn’t access it. Even he wouldn’t do that, knowing that Jeff could bankrupt Greendale and him completely if he sued. Jeff had checked, the Patriot Act did not help Craig in this case.</p><p>“But Jeffrey!” Craig protested.</p><p>“<em>No.</em>” Jeff interrupted harshly, before Craig could protest further. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Right now, I have somewhere to be, and you have work to do. Go.” He added calmly, before shooing him off. Craig looked at him with a shocked expression, appearing overly hurt, as he often did, but it was necessary. He would know once things were settled.</p><p>Jeff headed back to his car in a hurry after that, while flipping out his phone to shoot a text to Mark.</p><p><em>Sorry, got held up at work by my boss. Omw now.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 3:34 PM</p><p>Just as quickly, he got a response from Mark, who was likely already waiting for him at his office.</p><p><em>No problem Tango! Thanks for letting me know, send a text when you’re close and I’ll meet you at the door!</em><br/>
-Cash, 3:35 PM</p><p><em>Will do. See you soon.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 3:35 PM</p><p>As he sent the last text, Jeff sat himself in the car, and put on the seatbelt. Before heading off, he decided to send one more text.</p><p><em>I think the Dean’s onto me. <strong>DO NOT</strong> let him into the apartment under any circumstances, and avoid answering any questions about me. I’m heading to meet with Mark now, don’t want the Dean to know before everything is settled.</em><br/>
-Jeff Winger, 3:37 PM</p><p><em>Okay! Good plan, I’ll keep the door locked. Good luck, I love you!!!</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 3:38 PM</p><p>With everything as settled as it could be under the circumstances – meaning not settled at all, this was Greendale after all – Jeff set off for his meeting.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“Tango!” Mark greeted warmly at the door of the Denver offices of Lewis &amp; Associates Law. It was your average office building, nothing special in itself, but Jeff had been there before, and the modest façade was definitely deceiving. The inside of the floor Mark’s firm resided on was well designed, with dark gray walls, enough dark wood desks to make it look like a high-class firm with tenure beyond its years, big windows to allow for lots of natural light, and an overall luxurious design to it. The place wasn’t nearly as spacious as Patterson &amp; Young’s downtown offices, or what he had gotten used to years ago at Hamish, Hamish and Hamlin, but he couldn’t complain.<p>“Cash. Sorry I’m late.” </p><p>“No worries.” Mark returned right away, and went in for the big hug, which Jeff returned by lifting the smaller man up, like they always did. “I finally get my old partner back; does it get any better than this?” </p><p>“Not unless we open up a Macallan to celebrate.” Jeff quipped back.</p><p>“Done! I’ll send someone to get one right away.” Mark replied instantly, his enthusiasm practically dripping off him.</p><p>Jeff shook his head. “No, no. There’s no need. I’m driving.” </p><p>“Smart, smart. What about we go celebrate later? On me, obviously.” </p><p>“Sure. But let’s get this over with, I think there’s a possibility my boss followed me and wants to stop me from leaving.” Jeff suggested, looking nervously around for any signs of a classic Dean ambush. He had a tendency to appear out of the blue like that. Even Annie did that to him sometimes. Jeff had theorized in his head that it’s because they’re both tiny, and for that reason able to hide behind things. He had never been able to do that, as his growth spurt hit early on, and didn’t stop until he was too tall to hide behind anything. Instead, he sometimes felt like a beacon among the masses, someone everybody could see, often in the moments when he just wanted to disappear. </p><p>“You didn’t tell him?” Mark questioned with a curious expression on his face.</p><p>“No, because he’d probably break down and do everything to stop me if I did.” Jeff said with a weary sigh. “But he’s onto me, I think he was suspicious about me wearing a suit today. Told Annie to fend him off if he appears, but he might just have followed me.” </p><p>Mark narrowed his eyes and tilted his head in slight confusion and amazement. “Sounds like you need more than just a new job, you need a restraining order.” </p><p>“Can’t say I haven’t considered it.” Jeff chuckled.</p><p>“Well, let’s get to it then, before he runs in here. And if he does, I will get that restraining order written for you right away.” </p><p>“Yeah, let’s.”</p><p>“Follow me.” Mark said, and gestured with his head, before walking off towards his office with Jeff in tow. “You probably remember the way after stealing my office a few years ago though.” He chuckled.</p><p>“Sadly, I couldn’t get here early to surprise you this time. Really disappointing, had this elaborate plan to lock myself in your office until you get me a higher salary too.” Jeff explained with a light chuckle.</p><p>“Could’ve just asked. I’m all ears for anything you want. Want higher salary? <em>Done</em>.” </p><p>“No, there’s no need. Not in any financial trouble anyway, and the initial job is just money on top of what I get from Greendale. And I’m not in this for the money.” </p><p>“You want to do this right.” Mark recalled from an earlier conversation.</p><p>“Yeah.” </p><p>“Right. Well, here we are.” Mark said, and opened the closed door to his office, before strolling over to his comfortable black leather chair, which looked the same as the one Jeff had seen a few years earlier, but likely wasn’t – it didn’t look especially worn. “Take a seat.” He added, gesturing to the two chairs across from him.</p><p>Jeff sat down obediently, anxiously waiting for Mark to begin speaking. He wasn’t expecting this to be anything drawn out, but he was still nervous to see the offer on paper. </p><p>“Right, so I have the contracts here.” Mark announced, pulling out an opening a plain black folder, before pulling out two contracts. “I’ve written up two, one for the consultancy, and one taking effect right after that.” He explained, before handing them to Jeff, before pulling out two more from the folder for himself to look at. “I hope that’s okay?”</p><p>“Yeah.” Jeff nodded, while keeping his eyes down on the first contract.</p><p>“The consultancy one begins at December 1st, and ends at May 31st, while the full position starts on June 1st, based on what you told me about your work. Obviously, you’ll need to hand in your notice there so you’re done by June 1st, I can’t imagine being able to balance the two jobs.”</p><p>“Yeah, for sure. I’ll let them know soon.” Jeff responded, while still skimming through the contract. He didn’t believe Mark would trick him, but he knew better than to sign a contract without reading it properly.</p><p>“I hope the salary is alright? I obviously can’t give you full salary right away for consultancy, but once the second deal kicks in, you’ll be on six figures and get a secretary. You’ll get the corner office right away though.” Mark asked, and Jeff could hear a slight nervousness in his voice, an unusual trait for the normally confident and bubbly lawyer.</p><p>Jeff looked up from the papers, and met his eyes with a kind smile. “Yeah, it looks good. I make enough to get by right now, so this will just be on top of that. Doesn’t need to be a lot. Thank you though, for letting me ease into this again.”</p><p>“Of course, buddy. I’m just glad to have you back, and you’re an asset to us in any way you can contribute.” </p><p>“Just know that it won’t be the same as it was before, I’m not that guy anymore, and I can’t be that guy.” Jeff warned him gently.</p><p>“Yeah, I know. And that’s for the best. We can’t be like Hamish; we’d be out of business right away. But there’s a reason why I wanted you, and not the Alans of the world. Yes, you lied, and you did a lot of bad stuff like the rest of us, but I know that if I put you on a case, you’ll go out there and deliver, because that’s what you do. If I hired a guy like Alan, I’d be knee deep in sexual harassment lawsuits right away. I know you’d never do that. I can rely on you, and you’re my old friend. It’s the perfect mix.”</p><p>“Yeah, it’s good to be back as a team again.”</p><p>“Sure is, Tango.” Mark said, smiling happily with a relaxed posture. “I put in that you’ll work 8 hours a week initially, is that okay?”</p><p>Jeff nodded affirmatively. “Sounds good.” </p><p>“It’ll be like a part time job. How you spread the time over the week can be worked out. We’re closed on Sundays, so eight hours over six days. You’ll be paid monthly, but only a portion of what you’ll get as a full partner.” Mark explained.</p><p>“Yep, that should be fine. I’m sure you’re aware that I’ll only be available in the afternoon except on Saturdays?” </p><p>“Already accounted for. My thinking is that we keep the workload on you light initially, and then we increase it gradually once you get into it. And then by the time summer comes around, you should be ready to get back into it full time.”</p><p>“Hopefully.”</p><p>“You’ve still got it in you, I’m sure about that.”</p><p>Jeff smiled weakly at the encouraging words. “Anyway, let’s get to signing this. Everything looks fine to me.”</p><p>Mark smiled broadly. “Great! Here’s a pen.” He said, and handed over an elegant black pen with silver lining.</p><p>Jeff took a last look at the contract to make sure that everything was in order, before placing it down on the dark mahogany desk. With one smooth movement, he signed the first contract as <em>Jeff Winger</em>. He had long ago practiced a good-looking signature, having had to sign off on a bunch of lawyer stuff in the past. And a nice signature was along with his look a way for him to show that he belonged. He had contemplated including his middle name, but had decided to drop it. Jeff Winger had a certain neat flow to it, there was no need for the extra <em>T</em>. </p><p>Just as quickly, he pulled out the second contract he had skimmed over, and just like the first one, it was your fairly standard contract, detailing minimum work hours, wage, perks and benefits. He noted that he wouldn’t have any benefits as a consultant, but that was probably fair, given the limited hours he would be doing. Outside of that, he noted that the contract would begin June 1st, as promised. Jeff glanced at it one last time, and took a deep breath, before signing the second contract. </p><p>“Here.” Jeff said, as he handed the contracts over. </p><p>“Great!” Mark replied excitedly, accepting the contracts from Jeff and putting them down on the desk. He swiftly signed them both as <em>Mark Lewis</em> and stood up from his chair. “I’ll just go get these copied, back in a minute.” He announced, and headed towards the door.</p><p>“No secretary to do it for you? Figured you had at least five?” Jeff teased.</p><p>“I wish. We’re not <em>that</em> rich. And this takes a second anyway, quicker if I do it myself.” Mark chimed back from the door opening, before heading off.</p><p>Sat alone, Jeff finally got a moment to realize what he had done. It was official now, he was back. His third go at being a lawyer, this time with less financial risk than last time. If it worked, it worked. At least he wouldn’t be bankrupt if he failed this time around. Last time, he had barely saved the Lexus and apartment because he gave up in time to only lose all the assets connected to his business. This time, the financial risk wasn’t with him, which was likely the better choice. He could still do great work as an employee, especially when his boss was a friend of his that he had clear influence with. </p><p>Hopefully, Mark would be true to his word about doing things properly. Mark had joined in with the shady stuff at Hamish just as much as he himself had, but he wasn’t a bad guy. Not compared to a fair few others Jeff had known, at the very least. Besides, Annie’s checks had turned up nothing regarding bad PR or any scandals surrounding him or the company, as compared to the multitude of PR scandals surrounding Hamish and their controversial cases. </p><p>“Alright, that’s settled then.” Mark announced as he returned, handing two papers back to Jeff as he passed by. “That’s the originals. We’ll keep the copies.” </p><p>“Yeah, of course.” Jeff nodded in understanding. </p><p>“Well Tango, you’re back in the saddle! Welcome aboard.” Mark announced excitedly with raised arms as he leaned back into his chair.</p><p>“Thanks, hopefully third time’s the charm.” Jeff replied with his signature smile, still holding back a bit on the excitement for just a bit.</p><p>“Oh, it will be. My old partner back with me at my firm. This will be awesome, I guarantee it. And with a real degree, you can’t be stopped.” Mark said assuredly, encouraging a smile out of Jeff. “You should let the kiddy college know that you’ll be leaving though, so your boss doesn’t get a sad surprise when you hand in your notice.”</p><p>“Yeah, I just need to find a way to tell him without completely crushing him, or making him stalk me for the rest of my life.” </p><p>“That bad?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Mark grimaced. “Yikes. Good luck to you on that one. Anyway, up for a celebration?” </p><p>“Sure, we can meet up later if you want. When are you off work?” </p><p>“Whenever I want, Tango. I’m the boss around here.” Mark teased confidently.</p><p>“Well let’s make you be responsible for a few more hours then. Meet up at 7?” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“Any place you fancy? I hadn’t really planned anything.”</p><p>“Not sure I want to drive all the way back and forth, how about we do it in Greendale? Friend of my is a bartender at a small place there.” </p><p>Mark tilted his head slightly, his eyebrows slightly scrunched up, as if contemplating it. “Yeah, that sounds nice. Could be nice to get away from the far too expensive Denver bars, go back to our roots.”</p><p>“Exactly.” Jeff smiled. “I’ll text you the name and place.” </p><p>“Alright.” Mark said, and stood up from his chair to walk around to Jeff, who also stood up. “I guess there’s nothing left to say except that this will be amazing, Tango.” He continued, before hugging Jeff closely.</p><p>“Looking forward to it, Cash.” Jeff replied, while holding the smaller man in his arms. “I’ll see you later.” He said, and let him down again, before heading towards the door.</p><p>“You will. Make sure to bring your A-game!” Mark called out after him.</p><p>Jeff grinned as he turned back around to him in the door opening. “I hold my alcohol far better than you Mark, I’ll be ready for anything you can bring.” He warned.</p><p>Mark nodded with a scrunched-up face in faux-agreement. “Oh, we’ll see. We’ll see, Jeff.” He warned, as Jeff continued grinning, then turned around and left.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“Right, so if I’m understanding you right, you’re meeting up with an old friend here, and you want me to keep serving you until he’s drunk.” Britta questioned.<p>“Correct.”</p><p>“And why would I do that?” Britta asked, needlessly defiantly.</p><p>“Because this guy isn’t just a lawyer, he <em>owns</em> the firm. He has money, he can tip well. And I know the guy, he’s the generous type. So, if you do good tonight, it might just be worth it.” Jeff explained to her, trying to appeal to the side of her that definitely needed money to cover her rent. He knew, because Annie was still mad at Britta’s lax attitude regarding when rent was due.</p><p>“Ohhhh, old lawyer friend? Wait, no. Is it that creepy bald dude? If you bring him here, I’m banning your ass.” Britta warned.</p><p>“You can’t do that.” A brown-haired male employee warned from the door of the back-room area. </p><p>“Oh shut up Larry.” Britta called back with an exaggerated eye-roll. “If we weren’t allowed to ban people from the bar, I’d know.”</p><p>“We’re not. It says on the bulletin board in the back.” Larry insisted.</p><p>“Arrrgghhhh!” Britta exclaimed angrily, while gesticulating that she was going to choke him.</p><p>Terrified, Larry retreated to the back-room area.</p><p>“I see you’re working hard to make your coworkers like you.” Jeff joked. </p><p>Britta groaned. “Yeah, like he’s the most sociable. It’s like trying to talk with Garrett.” </p><p>“You know, I was on the internet the other day-“</p><p>“Were you? How radical of you.”</p><p>“Shut up.” Jeff clapped back. “..and I ended up on John Lennon’s wiki page, and there was this picture of his killers arrest photo.”</p><p>“And he looks like Garrett!” Britta exclaimed with intense, excited eyes.</p><p>“Yes! It’s amazing!” Jeff returned excitedly.</p><p>“You know, maybe Garrett is his lost twin?”</p><p>Jeff narrowed his eyes at her. “When do you think John Lennon died exactly?”</p><p>“I don’t know? Like, 15 years ago?” </p><p>“You know, sometimes I wonder if you’re actually trying to be weird.” Jeff said. “You do realize that John Lennon died the year you were born, right?”</p><p>“Jeez, sorry that I don’t know everything about every musician that ever lived.” Britta replied with a sour face.</p><p>“By the way, it’s not Alan.” Jeff clarified.</p><p>“Alan? Hope you didn’t invite that creepy bastard.” A voice called from the door.</p><p>“Cash.” Jeff said, smiling warmly.</p><p>“Tango.” Mark replied, and approached Jeff, who stood up from the barstool, and gave him a big hug. </p><p>“I see you found your way here without problems.” Jeff said once he let Mark go.</p><p>“The wonders of GPS. And I’ve been in Greendale plenty of times, wasn’t hard to find.” </p><p>“Anyway, this is the friend I was talking about.” Jeff said, and gestured to Britta behind the bar, who had occupied herself by drying off some glasses.</p><p>“Ah. Nice to meet you, I’m Mark.” Mark said, and held out his hand over the bar to shake.</p><p>Britta shook his hand. “Britta, here to serve you anything you may want tonight.”</p><p>“You can’t serve them anything, some of it is reserved for regulars.” Larry called out. He was clearly listening to their conversation.</p><p>“Shut up.” Britta called back, then turned back to Mark. “Anything you want, ignore that guy, he’s the reason we don’t have customers.”</p><p>“Yeah, I was about to say, this place is surprisingly empty.” Mark said. </p><p>“More drinks for us then.” Jeff pointed out.</p><p>“That’s true.” Mark agreed. “You know what, first round on me.”</p><p>“I’ll have a Jack Daniels. Neat.” Jeff ordered.</p><p>“Vodka martini please.” Mark ordered.</p><p>“Coming right up.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Several drinks and an hour later, a few more people had showed up as the night loomed dark over Greendale.<p>“How’d you two meet?” Mark asked Britta as he sipped on a glass of vodka screwdriver while Jeff had disappeared to the bathroom.</p><p>“Me and Jeff?” </p><p>“Yeah. You seem very familiar with each other.”</p><p>“Oh, yeah, we’ve been friends for years. He made a fake study group to sleep with me when he started at Greendale. I invited some people, and somehow it became a real study group. We’ve been friends ever since.” Britta explained briefly.</p><p>“Wait a second, he faked a study group to sleep with you?” Mark asked with furrowed brows.</p><p>“Yup.”</p><p>“Did it work?”</p><p>“Not right away. Took nearly a year, but it didn’t lead to anything more than casual.” Britta recalled.</p><p>“Gotcha. You know, it sounds like a classic Winger. He wasn’t beyond trying to trick people into sleeping with him. He’d make up some excuse for why you <em>had</em> to talk with him privately, and then he’d charm their socks off and sleep with them. Surprised he stuck with it for so long though.” Mark recalled, bringing up old memories of Jeff.</p><p>“Yeah, but it was so obvious. I rejected him time and time again for <em>months</em>. Then suddenly he started dating this teacher, got dumped, and then we hooked up randomly. Nothing happened for a bit, but then we just hooked up at times for the next school year in secret.” </p><p>“And you guys are still friends?” Mark questioned.</p><p>“Yup. He moved on, and I moved on. Have you met Annie?”  </p><p>“I have, she was in that study group, wasn’t she?”</p><p>“Yup.”</p><p>“He told me that, gave me their little story. I actually met her and Jeff at this lawyer party in downtown Denver a few months ago. She threw a drink in the face of this old coworker of me and Jeff, awful dude. Totally deserved it, and made my entire night.” Mark detailed, laughing heartily at the memory of seeing a completely soaked Alan.</p><p>“Bald guy, really creepy?” Britta asked.</p><p>“Yeah, the Alan guy you talked about earlier. I Totally forgot about that! How in the world do you know him?”</p><p>“He showed up at Greendale a few years ago and tried to buddy up to Jeff again, just to use him to get a recommendation for a promotion or whatever it was. Really sleezy. And then he tried to use Jeff into making the whole group sue the school for something a few years later. Was a total creep, no idea how Jeff was friends with that dude.” Britta explained, her face scrunched up in complete disgust.</p><p>“That’s how it was at Hamish. If you weren’t awful going in, you were awful after a while. Either that or you left, because the place was a <em>mess</em>. I wasn’t great either, and I’m probably not now, but Alan, he was a different kind. He didn’t just scheme and manipulate in court, but everybody he buddied up to inside was with the goal of just moving himself up in the company. If you were an up and comer, he’d latch onto you to move up. If he thought you could help him, he’d buddy up to you, then throw you off to the side as soon as he had no more use for you. That’s what happened to Jeff. Alan probably knew for a long time, but he let Jeff gain momentum, and as soon as Jeff won a big case that got him a bunch of PR, he was gone. And who benefitted? Alan, of course.”</p><p>“Why are you talking about that pile of human garbage?” Jeff asked as he came walking back to the bar.</p><p>“Mark was just telling me how awful Alan is. It’s a really captivating story.” Britta replied, then prepared another glass of whiskey for Jeff as he sat down beside Mark.</p><p>“Ah, a true heartbreaker that one. Would’ve broken his own too, if he had one.” Jeff remarked.</p><p>“What about you Mark, what happened with you?” Britta questioned.</p><p>“I stuck around for a year or so. Saw what unfolded, which was basically Alan taking credit for Jeff’s work, and mine. I started saving up my money, pushed for every high paying case I could, stayed well clear of that backstabbing idiot, and then I left. Hope was that Alan would do something to get me fired to get me a sweet severance package, but it didn’t happen. Anyway, I started up my own firm after a while, and we’re still going strong.” </p><p>“Cheers to that.” Jeff said, and clinked his glass against Alan’s, before they both took a fairly big sip.</p><p>“And cheers to you, who will be joining me soon.” Mark told Jeff, and held out his drink in salute. Jeff joined him, and clinked his class against his, before taking another sip.</p><p>Britta’s mouth opened in shock. “You’re joining him?” She asked Jeff.</p><p>“Oh, damn. I thought she knew. Sorry.” Mark told Jeff, realizing that he had revealed a secret.</p><p>“It’s okay. I’ve only told Annie so far.” Jeff told them both. “I was going to tell you soon. Still need to navigate the nightmare of telling the Dean too.” He explained to Britta.</p><p>“It’s fine. And good luck with that, he will <em>not</em> take it well.” Britta said, surprisingly solemnly. </p><p>“Oh, I know, I think he’s onto me.”</p><p>“Yeah, good luck with that.” Britta scoffed. “He’ll probably offer you a raise for doing nothing again.”</p><p>“Hey, my students are doing exceptionally well this semester.” Jeff argued.</p><p>“Yeah right.”</p><p>“I’m serious, things are going well.” Jeff insisted.</p><p>“Yeah, and the second you try, you decide to just <em>leave</em>? Seriously Jeff? After all Greendale did for you?” Britta accused harshly.</p><p>“I’m not leaving right now.” Jeff told her in a hushed, but harsh tone. “I’m taking a consultancy position from December and until June, while staying at Greendale. I’m finishing next semester, then I’m leaving.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“Yeah. I had an offer to leave right away, but chose this one because Mark let me to join fully when I’m ready. I’ll finish up the next semester so they have time to find a replacement, and so the students won’t be left without a professor.”</p><p>Britta smiled slightly upon hearing that. “Jeff Winger doing the right thing, who would have thought.”</p><p>“Not as bad as you think, Britta.” </p><p>“Well, as an apology, next round is on the house.” Britta kindly offered.</p><p>“You can’t do that.” Larry called out from a nearby table he was cleaning. </p><p>“Shut up Larry.” Britta barked back at him with an angry sneer on her face. “I swear, I’m going to kill him.” She told Jeff and Mark in a more hushed tone, before starting on a drink.</p><p>“Well would you look at that.” A familiar British voice called out from the door. “Jeff Winger out drinking. I never thought I would see the day again.”</p><p>“Duncan out drinking, what a shock.” Jeff bit back at him. “Did you get lost on your way to O’Sullivans? This isn’t your normal place.”</p><p>“Decided it was time to try a new place.” Duncan replied, as he took a seat beside Jeff.</p><p>“Did you now?” Jeff replied, unconvinced by the explanation.</p><p>“Absolutely.” Duncan insisted. “I would like I pint please, Britta.”</p><p>“Pint?” Britta asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.</p><p>“He means a glass of beer.” Mark explained instantly.</p><p>“Oh. Coming right up.”</p><p>“Oh hi Mark. Didn’t see you there, apologies.” Duncan said leaning slightly over the bar to see Mark sitting on the other side of Jeff.</p><p>“I hate you for doing that Duncan. You know I hate that.” Mark said, but he couldn’t help but smile a little as he jumped out of his seat.</p><p>“It’s as the English call it, a slippery royal carpenter.” Duncan said.</p><p>“What?” Britta asked, complete and utterly baffled by what Duncan just said. Jeff just furrowed his brow and tilted his head in confusion.</p><p>“How long has it been? Six-seven years?” Mark asked as he approached Duncan.</p><p>“Eight years by my estimation. I seem to recall a red-haired lady, many bottles of rum and a piano.” Duncan recalled.</p><p>“Man, time flies. Those were the days. We tried calling you, but couldn’t reach you.” </p><p>“Ah. Well, I think I may have misplaced my phone that night. I ended up in Iowa, and let me tell you, it was quite a pickle to get back from there without a phone or wallet.” Duncan explained to Mark.</p><p>Mark shook his head, but couldn’t help but smile while Jeff and Britta looked at the two of them curiously. “Man, I missed you, you crazy idiot.” He said, and went in for the big hug on Duncan, who accepted it gratefully.</p><p>“You guys all know each other?” Britta asked.</p><p>“I worked with Mark, helped Duncan get out of trouble, went drinking with him and invited Mark. And then we started going out drinking from time to time. Sometimes just normal and casual, and sometimes Duncan ended up out of state on a bender.”</p><p>“Oh don’t act like it was all me, I’ve seen you dive head first into an open cab window, and I’ve seen this little fellow try to cartwheel in the middle of an Irish pub. I’ve got dirt on you both.” Duncan reminded them.</p><p>“Crazy times, man. I miss those days, but we all need to grow up eventually.” Mark said, smiling fondly at the memories.</p><p>“Why? So we can grow old and boring? I say we go big <em>tonight</em>.” Duncan suggested.</p><p>“Hell no. I am <em>not</em> giving myself a massive hangover so we can cling onto some old memories. We can have our fun, but I won’t ruin tomorrow for the sake of tonight.” Jeff replied</p><p>“Crikey, has your old ball and chain tamed you that much?” </p><p>“Jeff’s right, I have a fiancé to go back home to. I can’t go too crazy.” Mark chimed in with.</p><p>“Man, you are all a bunch of massive bummers.” Duncan said emphatically, evidently disappointed.</p><p>“Cheer up Duncan, your pint is ready.” Britta said. “On the house.”</p><p>“Ah, now there’s an offer I can get behind. For that Britta, you get a drink, on me.” Duncan offered with a gleeful smile.</p><p>“Oh! Thank you.” </p><p>“Have yourself….a whiskey cobbler.” Duncan specified, while Britta looked at him curiously.</p><p>“You know, how about we move this over to a table, easier to talk there.” Mark suggested. </p><p>“Good idea.” Jeff agreed</p><p>“Oh.” Britta muttered; a bit dejected, while Mark and Jeff grabbed their glasses and headed off to an empty round table which Larry head cleaned after the last few people there left.</p><p>“How about you come join us at the table?” Duncan kindly suggested.</p><p>“I can’t, I need to watch the bar.”</p><p>“Rubbish, make that weird table cleaner do it.” Duncan said, waving his hand dismissively. </p><p>Britta stood still for a second, looking over at Larry in the corner of the room. “You know what? Yeah, I’ll do that.” She finally settled on. “I’ll make myself a drink and then be right over.” She told Duncan, who nodded and walked off. “Larry, take the bar!” Britta finally barked out, while she started making herself a drink.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“You know, we realized earlier that Garrett looks like-“ Britta suddenly began telling Duncan after she stopped sipping on her now increasingly empty drink.<p>“He looks like the guy who killed John Lennon. I know. Did you just realize that?” Duncan interrupted.</p><p>“Not <em>just</em> now, but…”</p><p>“Incredible. I’ve been saying that for years, and nobody else noticed.” Duncan scoffed at her.</p><p>“Not everyone can be as educated about who killed musicians as you, Duncan.” Jeff chimed in with in defense of Britta.</p><p>“I will have you know, that they are one of the greatest bands of all time.” Duncan said, pointing his finger assertively.</p><p>“Yeah, if you were born in the 50s.” Jeff countered.</p><p>“Take that back.” Duncan demanded.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“You take that back.”</p><p>“No. They were good for their time, and did good things to progress music, but they don’t hold up well.” Jeff argued.</p><p>Duncan dismissively waved him off, and looked away. “This is heresy. I cannot stand for such nonsense. Next thing I know, you’ll tell me that Paul Scholes is better than Steven Gerrard and that league titles won before 1992 doesn't count.” </p><p>“How about I go get you another drink?” Britta asked Duncan.</p><p>“That would be lovely. Thank you, Britta.” </p><p>Britta smiled, and stood up and grabbed her and Duncan’s empty glasses, before heading off towards the bar, with Duncan stealing a glance at her as she walked off.</p><p>“So, Duncan, what’s the deal with you and her?” Mark asked curiously.</p><p>“Ah, Britta is a wonderful specimen of America. She’s bold, opinionated, just past her peak, available and emotionally vulnerable now that Jeff has stopped doing it with her for good.” Duncan detailed, while his eyes drifted off towards the bar.</p><p>“Really sounds like you want her. You should ask her out.” Mark suggested kindly.</p><p>Jeff stifled a slight laugh.</p><p>“Well, you see, there is one slight hiccup. She’s my student. And she would laugh me out of the building if I asked her out.” </p><p>“As if that ever stopped you in the past.” Jeff teased.</p><p>“Ha-ha, very funny. Unlike you, I can’t charm any woman in the world with my height and muscles. And the myth about women being attracted to British accents – complete and utter nonsense. Unless they’re built like you, they don’t give a damn.”</p><p>“Woah there.” Britta said, arriving for the tail end of his rant. “Drink this and calm down.” She added, handing him another beer.</p><p>Duncan took a decent chug of his beer, while Britta sat down and took a sip of her own.</p><p>“You can’t drink while at work Britta.” Larry reminded her from the bar.</p><p>“Now listen here you knobhead.” Duncan shouted back. “When an Englishman buys a bartender a drink, they have to accept. That is the rule. I bought the lady a drink, so now she has to drink it. So why don’t you take your weird looking face and bugger off?”</p><p>Larry, seemingly spooked by the slightly slurring brit, decided to shut up and leave them be. </p><p>“Is that true?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“Nah.” Duncan replied, shaking his head to the groups shared amusement and laughter, before he took another swig of beer.</p><p>“Well thanks anyway, seems like you really gave him a scare.” Britta laughed.</p><p>“Ian Duncan, professional scarecrow.” Mark teased.</p><p>Britta and Jeff both laughed at that.</p><p>“Oh sod off.” Duncan bit back. “You wouldn’t even scare a newborn if you tried.”</p><p>Mark narrowed his eyes at Duncan “I can be very scary if I want to. I could be your worst nightmare.”</p><p>“Oh blimey, I’m terrified.” Duncan replied sarcastically, mockingly pretending to be scared.</p><p>Britta and Jeff laughed again.</p><p>“You are <em>not</em> scary. You’re like Troy-levels of scary.” Britta pointed out.</p><p>“I have no idea who that is.” Mark reminded her.</p><p>“He’s probably the least threatening person I’ve ever met.” Jeff added.</p><p>“Just because I’m small doesn’t mean I’m not scary.” Mark argued.</p><p>“It’s not about size, it’s about how you act. And the more you argue, the funnier you become.” Duncan responded.</p><p>“He’s right. Annie scares the hell out of me sometimes, and she’s tiny.”</p><p>“The true basis of any relationship – fear.” Duncan chimed in with.</p><p>“We should just abolish relationships, they’re the worst.” Britta told them all, then took a big swig from her drink. </p><p>Jeff scoffed at her statement. “You’re just saying that because you always end up falling for the wrong guys.”</p><p>“You’ve been in one successful relationship ever, and now you’re suddenly an expert?”</p><p>“One more than you’ve been in.”</p><p>“Me and Troy were pretty good.”</p><p>“He was basically dating Abed the whole time, with you on the side. You did nothing together. Same with that sandwich-guy. He chose his work over you – twice.” Jeff argued.</p><p>Britta fell silent, her face dejected.</p><p>“Jeff’s right. I don’t know about those guys, but you need to find the right person. At the very least someone who prioritizes you. Dating sucks until you find the right one, but then once you do, it feels great.” Mark chimed in with.</p><p>Britta smiled weakly, while Duncan remained silent.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“You should have seen him, he ran in and just hit our study table with a fire axe!” Britta vividly recalled.<p>“I was gassed!” Jeff argued in his own defense.</p><p>“You sure you weren’t on some heavier stuff than gas?” Mark laughed.</p><p>“Yeah, that was crazy, Jeff.”</p><p>“Said the person that showed up to protest a model UN a few weeks later with a bunch of creepy dolls sown to your shirt, and got tasered and carried away.”</p><p>“I was protesting an important issue!” Britta insisted.</p><p>“You were protesting a meaningless model UN and had to be carried away by security. You have nothing on me.” </p><p>“Fascinating. What exactly made you protest?” Duncan questioned.</p><p>“I don’t know?” Britta replied, failing to remember why.</p><p>“Probably same reason she protests anything, she just wanted to appear like she was doing something, when really she does nothing.” Jeff theorized.</p><p>“Interesting. An urge to appear proactive, when you are actually being reactive to your own passiveness.” Duncan said, mostly to himself.</p><p>“Hey! I didn’t ask to be analyzed.” </p><p>“Now you know how that feels.” Jeff told her.</p><p>“I wish I had any good stories to tell, but man, life gets a bit boring when you’re owning your own business. I can’t really do any of that stuff anymore, or the company could get bad press.” Mark chimed in with.</p><p>“That’s going to be your life now, Jeff.” Britta pointed out. “Serious job, and domestic life.”</p><p>“It’s not that bad, really. You get a kind of comfort in knowing that you have someone there for you every day, instead of living in constant search for that missing piece in your life.” Mark pointed out.</p><p>“Well, I think you need to have a few more drinks, because this is getting far too mushy.” Duncan argued.</p><p>“No, no.” Mark replied, shaking his head.</p><p>“You told me to bring my A-game, the least you can do is match me.” Jeff added.</p><p>“Jeff raises a very good point, Mark.” Britta chimed in</p><p>“Seconded.”</p><p>“Drink, drink, drink, drink!” They chorused together, as Mark capitulated and downed the remainder of his vodka tonic.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>With the clock creeping closer to midnight, the whole group was starting to reach their limit.<p>“Well, I think he’s had it.” Jeff gestured towards Mark, who sat slouched in his chair, his eyes closed as he drowsed off.</p><p>“Yesh, you won.” Britta slurred.</p><p>“Shot every time you miss in pool, brilliant plan, Winger.” Duncan commented with a slight slur of his own</p><p>“Proud of myself for that one.” Jeff said, holding up a tad better than the rest. “I’ll call him a cab, then I’ll head home too.”</p><p>“Boooooooo” Duncan suddenly loudly exclaimed.</p><p>“Wh-whaaaa” A sleep and drunk Mark mumbled out.</p><p>“Britta, can you get him some water?” Jeff requested gently.</p><p>“Sure thing, brooooooo”</p><p>“Get some for yourself too while you’re at it.”</p><p>A while later, Mark had been sent home in a cab, Britta was chugging water to sober up for the last few hours of her shift, and Duncan was doing… something. Probably inside of the bar, harassing Britta or something. Jeff meanwhile found himself retelling the highlights of the night to Annie, who was driving him back home in his Lexus. </p><p>Meanwhile in an apartment in Greendale, Craig Pelton was staring longingly out at the parking lot, seeing the empty parking spot where Jeff’s Lexus usually stood, crying silent tears as his fears flooded over him. </p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p><br/>
<em>♫ Je suis seul parce qu'il me quitte</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Je meurs parce qu'il me quitte</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Comme les rêves qui vous laissent emplis de terreur</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Il ne restera pas aujourd'hui</em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <em>Mes pensées sont en français. ♫</em>
  </p>
</blockquote>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff has been flooded with random gifts for a week, and in an effort to regain control of the situation, he decides to finally come clean to Dean Pelton.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy new year everyone! Thank you so much for reading all of my rambles, and letting me be a small part of 2020! Naturally, there is more to come in 2021! :D</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Aw, Jeff! You got me roses? That’s so sweet! Thank you!” Annie cheerfully exclaimed, upon seeing the roses that had just been delivered to his door.</p><p>“They’re not from me.” Jeff replied flatly, not even bothering to look up from the screen of his laptop. “Read the card.”</p><p>“Oh.” Annie replied, her face dropping slightly. Carefully, she looked at the card which was attached to the roses. <em>'Dear Jeffrey, you are important to us. Greendale loves you.'</em>” Annie read out loud.</p><p>“It’s from the Dean.” Jeff sighed. “He’s been doing it all week. I arrived at work on Tuesday and had a new sign on my office door. Far nicer, name was basically shining. On Thursday, I got a new office chair. Super comfortable, looks brand new. On Friday, I found a bottle of red wine. In my office drawer, wrapped inside gift paper, and addressed to me. For my <em>‘Valued service and dedication to the betterment of Greendale’</em> or something like that. And now this.”</p><p>“And they’re all from the Dean?” Annie questioned.</p><p>“They have to be.”</p><p>“Have you told him about it?” </p><p>“About leaving? No. And that’s the thing. I don’t get how he knows. He seemed suspicious on Monday, but I didn’t tell him anything. How the hell does he know? Did you talk with him?” Jeff asked her.</p><p>“What? No. He knocked on the door, but I just said you weren’t home and didn’t say why.” Annie replied instantly, without hesitation.</p><p>“Then I don’t get it.”</p><p>“He probably followed you or something.” Annie theorized.</p><p>“Wouldn’t surprise me.” </p><p>“But, uhm. Do you have a vase? For the roses.” Annie asked, still holding the roses in her hands.</p><p>“Annie, you know full well that I don’t own a vase.” </p><p>“Jeeeeeff…” </p><p>“I don’t usually have flowers here, ever. So, I never bought one.” He nonchalantly explained.</p><p>“If we don’t put them in water, they’ll die.” </p><p>Jeff shrugged. “If they die, they die.” </p><p>“Jeff! No! Bad! You got a nice gift, the least you can do is keep them alive for as long as you can. I’ll find a tall glass and snip the ends so they’ll fit.” </p><p>“Sure. Thanks.” Jeff mumbled, then focused back on his computer.</p><p>Annie went to the kitchen, and found a scissor to snip the roses, before putting them together in the tallest glass she could find, and placing them on the dining room table. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better than letting them die.</p><p>“Jeff, you need to be more grateful.” Annie said once she strolled back into the living room.</p><p>Jeff turned away from the pc, and looked at her standing there with her arms crossed. “Grateful that I have a boss that moved beside me and now tries to bribe me into staying?” He replied harshly.</p><p>“Grateful that you have someone that wants you! He wants you to stay so bad that he’s giving you a bunch of gifts. You should at the very least thank him, and tell him what you’ve decided. He gave you that job when you had no experience, don’t forget that.” Annie explained, while her eyes judged him to the best of her ability.</p><p>“Look, I’m just tired of it. I’ve dealt with this stuff for six years now, and he still has no sense of boundaries.” </p><p>“He’s scared of losing you, Jeff. And the more you leave him in the dark, the closer he’ll cling onto you. Just tell him, please.” Annie implored him.</p><p>“I’ll send him an email with my resignation.” Jeff sighed.</p><p>“No! Jeff! No! Bad! You’re doing this <em>properly!</em> Not like some…some asshole!” Annie raised her voice at him, pointing assertively at him as she let out her frustration with him.</p><p>“Annie…”</p><p>“Jeff, please.” Annie repeated, and looked at him endearingly.</p><p>Jeff groaned. “Fine. I’ll talk to him tomorrow.”</p><p>Annie smiled, looking pleased with him. “Good. He’ll calm down again after you tell him. Just prepare for crying.”</p><p>“Oh, I know, I’ve been avoiding it for a reason.” </p><p>“We all have to face our fears sometimes, Jeff.” Annie reminded him, then sat down beside him. </p><p>“Did anyone ever tell you that you’re really wise?” </p><p>“Once or twice.” Annie smiled, then cuddled up against his shoulder.</p><p>“Want to just have a quiet night in front of the tv?”</p><p>“I’d like nothing more.”</p><p>“Good, because Abed sent me another recommendation.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Right at the end of Jeff’s third year class while the class had split off into groups around the auditorium, he spotted Dave raising his hand from one of the rows further back.<p>“Dave.” Jeff said, and pointed at him to indicate that he could speak</p><p>“Mr. Winger, is it true that you are leaving?”</p><p>“What?” Jeff blurted out. “Who told you that?” </p><p>“It’s all over the school man. I don’t know where it came from, but people are saying that you’re taking a different job and leaving.”</p><p>Jeff groaned audibly, and stared up at the ceiling for a brief second, before standing up from his chair. “It’s true that I’m leaving.” He began explaining.</p><p>“But Mr. Winger, you can’t leave during the semester!” Garrett instantly screeched out from the other side of the auditorium.</p><p>“What did I tell you about interrupting?” Jeff replied right away.</p><p>“Sorry.”</p><p>“I’m leaving, but not right away. I’ve agreed to take on a part-time position until the summer, and <em>then</em> I’m leaving.”</p><p>“Oh thank God.” Garrett exclaimed, letting out a big breath and wiping his sweaty forehead.</p><p>“Garrett, are you admitting that you’d miss me?” Jeff asked, smiling mischievously.</p><p>“Do you think that Greendale could find a replacement in a month?”</p><p>“Good point.”</p><p>“You’re my favorite professor.” Dave chimed in with. “At least this year and your first year, didn’t seem like you cared last year.”</p><p>“Yeah, sorry about that.” Jeff said, looking up at him apologetically. “But everybody here has my promise that I’ll remain focused on you until the end of next semester. My other job will be part time with flexible hours, so don’t worry about that interfering with my work here.”</p><p>The class nodded in understanding.</p><p>“Now get back to work. This is the last big assignment before exams, so it’s important that you work hard. I’m still committed to this, so I’m expecting the same from every single one of you.” </p><p>The class nodded again, and went back to work. Jeff sat back down by his desk, and looked around the room. He had truly come far from the blow-off class he had been leading merely half a year earlier.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>Once his classes were done for the day, Jeff decided to head over to the Dean’s office. He needed to talk with him, and urgently. Todays present had been a gift-wrapped iPad, which Jeff had no intention of using.<p>Jeff headed over to the administration building, and stepped into the front office, where the Dean’s secretary was sitting at her desk, reading a newspaper. “Hi, is Dean Pelton available?” Jeff asked politely after a brief moment of silence, where the secretary had shown no signs of acknowledging his presence.</p><p>“Do you have an appointment?” The elderly female secretary asked him in a flat, disinterested voice, without looking up at him.</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Then make an appointment and come back later. He’s available in an hour.” She replied, still not making eye-contact with him, keeping her eyes peeled on the newspaper in her hands.</p><p>“What’s he doing?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“Grieving.” </p><p>Jeff sighed. “You know what, screw this.” He thought out loud, then walked right past the secretary’s desk, and opened the door to Dean Pelton’s office and stepped inside. There he found the Dean, sitting at his desk with tears in his eyes.</p><p>Upon seeing Jeff, his eyes lit up in happiness. “Jeffrey!” He happily said, then sniffled and quickly removed his glasses and wiped his eyes to make the tears go away.</p><p>“Dean Pelton.” Jeff replied stiffly.</p><p>“Please, call me Craig. What brings you here Jeffrey?” Craig asked in a hopeful tone.</p><p>“I’m here about the gifts you’ve been giving me.”</p><p>“Oh, those. I just wanted to acknowledge your superb efforts this semester.” Craig said, but failed to keep eye contact under Jeff’s intense glare. “The reviews from your students have been glowing.” He sniffled.</p><p>“Look, I know those gifts aren’t about my performance. And I’m here to return the iPad. I don’t have any need for it.” Jeff said, and placed the still half-wrapped iPad on Craig’s desk. “Those gifts have to stop. I don’t know if it’s the school’s money or your own, but they have to stop.”</p><p>“But Jeffrey!” Craig protested.</p><p>“No.” Jeff interrupted right away. “I don’t know how you figured it out, but I guess the cat’s out of the bag. I’m leaving Greendale to take a different position.”</p><p>“Jeffrey, please! I’ll do anything! Please stay!” Craig instantly pleaded with him; his voice broken by the sound of crying.</p><p>“I’m leaving in June.” </p><p>“…in June?” Craig asked, his crying stopping momentarily.</p><p>“I’m taking a consultancy position on a part-time basis now, then I’m taking a full position in June.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>“I’m not leaving right now, and you have my full focus until I leave.”</p><p>“Are you sure you can do a part-time job on top of what you’re already doing?” Craig questioned, still sniffling slightly.</p><p>“Hopefully. The hours are flexible, so I should get by. It’s a transition period to get me back into it, really.” </p><p>“Jeffrey, I don’t want you to leave.” Craig said, calmer than before, but his voice showed how desperate and pleading he really was.</p><p>“I know you don’t, but this is happening.”</p><p>“Please tell me, tell me what I can do to make you stay. Jeffrey, <em>please</em>!” Craig pleaded, his tears starting to flow again, and Jeff could see that he was breaking down.</p><p>Jeff sighed audibly. “You can’t do anything. I want to be a lawyer again, and I’m taking this chance. I got an offer to work myself into the job until June, and then take a full position. And it’s with an old friend, who has been flexible in making sure that I can begin when I’m ready to.”</p><p>“A-a-anything…?” Craig’s broken voice stuttered.</p><p>“The decision has been made, Craig. I’ve signed a contract. I’m staying here until June though, so I’m not leaving yet. And I’ll still be in Greendale.”</p><p>“But you’ll be leaving the school…” Craig frustratedly said through the tears. “I barely see you anymore, you’re with Annie now, and never hang out here anymore. And now you’ll be leaving completely.”</p><p>“I won’t leave completely, but I have to move on. I want to go back to being a lawyer. That’s why I came here to begin with. I found so much more than I ever thought I would, but everybody has to move on at some point. If I stayed here, I wouldn’t be happy. You can’t change that with gifts. The only way to let me be happy is to let me go. Let me go do what I want to do. Greendale with live on without me, and so will you. You’ll be fine.”</p><p>“But I don’t want to be fine!” Craig cried out.</p><p>“Well, tough luck. This school needs you; it needs its charismatic leader to guide it.” </p><p>Suddenly, the main door to the office opened up, and Frankie came walking in.</p><p>“Dean, we need to talk about-“ Frankie began saying as she walked in, then stopped in her tracks and studied Craig sitting at his desk with tears in his eyes, and noticing Jeff standing there in front of the desk. “Are you crying?”</p><p>“Jeffrey is leaving me! He’s leaving us!” Craig’s tearful and desperate voice cried out.</p><p>Jeff sighed. “I’m leaving in June.” He clarified to Frankie.</p><p>“Oh.” Frankie muttered. “Well, I suppose congratulations are in order. Are you taking a different position?”</p><p>“I’m taking on a consultancy position at a law firm part-time effective from December 1st, then I’ll be transitioning to full partner on June 1st. Until then, my focus is completely on Greendale.”</p><p>“Congratulations, I assume this has been a goal of yours.”</p><p>“It has been, I’m glad to get the opportunity.” </p><p>“Well, I would like to wish you good luck on your future.” Frankie said, and stuck out her hand. </p><p>“Thank you.” Jeff replied, and shook her hand and gave her an appreciative nod. </p><p>“You’re allowing this!?” Craig cried out frustratedly, having rapidly followed their interaction from his desk with curious eyes.</p><p>“I’ve already signed a contract.” Jeff pointed out. “You can’t stop this; I know my rights.”</p><p>“He’s right. All of the teachers here have an end of semester leave clause, where they’re allowed to leave at the end of a semester if they inform us three months in advance. Jeff has informed us seven months in advance, which was very gracious of him.” Frankie calmly explained.</p><p>“But!”</p><p>“Dean, there is no but. He’s allowed to leave, and you need to respect that.” Frankie explained.</p><p>“Look, I’m leaving, but I’ll still be around. And you need to be here to protect the school.” Jeff explained to Craig.</p><p>“Actually, I have an idea.” Frankie suddenly said. “We’ve had certain…issues in the past, many of which aren’t covered by our insurance, given the nature of this business. If you would be interested, it could be logical for the school to keep a lawyer on retainer to protect ourselves against such situations. That would involve protecting the school itself, but also employees in matters relating to Greendale. Would you be interested in such an arrangement?”</p><p>Craig’s eyes lit up happily. “<em>Please</em> say yes! Jeffrey, please, I beg you!”</p><p>Jeff looked over at the ecstatic Craig, and over to Frankie “I can bring it up with Mark. I can’t be your lawyer right away, since I won’t be hired as one until June, but I can bring it up to them, and then take over the responsibility personally from June and onwards if you’d want that.” </p><p>“YES! We accept!” Craig replied instantly.</p><p>“Dean, let me do my job.” Frankie demanded. Craig went silent, and his eyes drifted slightly away in resignation. “We’d be interested in that. Bring it up with them, and ask them to get in touch with me so we can negotiate a retainer fee.”</p><p>“Alright, I’ll do that.” Jeff agreed.</p><p>“Fantastic. Now, with that settled, on to why I’m really here.” Frankie said, and cleared her throat. “I discovered several anomalies in the school’s accounts over the past week. Including a fee paid to a sign maker, an office supply company, a florist and an Apple store?” She said, looking completely puzzled.</p><p>“Oh!” Craig said out loud, then covered his mouth quickly.</p><p>“I assume from that reaction that you know something about this. In total, this amounts to 700 dollars of spending which was not accounted for in our budgets. How do you explain that?” Frankie accused Craig.</p><p>Craig remained silent, looking away from her.</p><p>“Dean?”</p><p>“I can explain.” Jeff said, breaking the silence. “Over the past week, he’s been sending me gifts. I think he discovered that I was leaving somehow, and decided to send me gifts to try to change my mind. That’s part of why I’m here.”</p><p>“Oh come on.” Frankie groaned.</p><p>“This.” Jeff said, holding up the wrapped iPad before putting it down again. “Was today’s gift. I suggest you return it. The other things were a sign on my office, a new office chair, and a bouquet of roses on my door. I don’t even own a vase, so Annie ended up putting them in a glass.”</p><p>“You could have just asked for a vase, Jeffrey.” Craig chimed in with.</p><p>“Ugh.” Frankie groaned again. “Would it be okay if we returned the gifts? Minus the flowers, of course.”</p><p>“Frankie!” Craig protested, but was completely ignored.</p><p>“I doubt that you’ll be able to return a sign reading <em>‘Mr Winger’</em> to be perfectly honest with you.” </p><p>“Good point. But can we return the chair and iPad?” </p><p>“Sure.” </p><p>“Thank you.” Frankie said, and picked up the iPad. “Now, with that settled, I have other matters to attend to.” She quickly added, and turned to leave.</p><p>“I think I’m going to go too. Good talking with you, see you tomorrow, Craig.” Jeff said, and followed Frankie out the door.</p><p>They headed out of his office together, leaving Craig there in stunned silence as they ventured down the hall.</p><p>“Thank you for helping me out there, I thought he’d never accept it.” Jeff said, a chuckled slightly, mostly in relief, while running his hand through the hair on the back of his head.</p><p>“Happy to be of service, Jeff. It is my job to keep him in check after all, and do most of his job for him.” She replied, while they headed down the hallway alongside each other.</p><p>“How are you holding up without the committee?” </p><p>“I’m fine. Heavier workload, but thankfully there are other helpful students around to assist on occasion.” </p><p>“Sorry I haven’t been around to help as much.” Jeff said apologetically, his face dropping slightly.</p><p>Frankie stopped in her tracks to face Jeff properly. “It’s okay. It’s one of the things I’ve learned through the years. People get attached to other people. Not places. If the people leave, the place isn’t the same. The people that made you stay here aren’t here, and that’s why you don’t feel like you belong anymore. I suppose it’s the same thing the Dean is feeling, that if the group he was most attached to all disappear, then part of his motivation to stay does too. I don’t fault you for it, nor him.” </p><p>“Thank you for understanding. And for helping me out, it means a lot.”</p><p>“I’m glad you’re leaving, Jeff.” Frankie said</p><p>Jeff raised his eyebrow, and looked at her skeptically. </p><p>Frankie’s eyes widened in horror. “Oh God. That came out wrong.” She uttered quickly. “What I meant is that I’m glad you got a job elsewhere.”</p><p>Jeff continued to look at her skeptically. Part of him wanted to let her out of her misery and interpret her words as they were intended, not as they sounded, but watching Frankie put her foot in her mouth was far too amusing given how she usually was the one judging him.</p><p>Frankie took a deep breath to compose herself. “I’m sorry. What I wanted to say is that I am happy you are getting the opportunity to follow your goals.”</p><p>“Thank you, Frankie.” Jeff said, giving her an appreciative nod. </p><p>“And just to be clear, I’ve appreciated the efforts you’ve put in this semester. It has not gone unnoticed. So, I think in a way, the name sign and flowers have been earned.”</p><p>“As long as it doesn’t get taken out of my Christmas bonus, I’m fine with that.”</p><p>“Hm?” Frankie replied, seemingly not getting his point for a second. “Oh. No. No, we couldn’t do that. I’ll have to write it off as extraordinary expenses, like I usually do when he spends far too much money on something without consulting me. Which is often. How exactly did this school survive for several years with him in sole charge?”</p><p>“No idea. It barely did in the end.”</p><p>“Makes sense. I’m going to go now, I have matters to attend to. Please say hi to Annie for me if you see her today.” </p><p>“I will. Have a good day.” </p><p>“Likewise.” Frankie nodded, then walked off.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>Meanwhile in Denver, Annie had been working all day on a project alongside Cam, and was walking back to her station to wrap up for the day when she was intercepted by Emily.<p>“Annie!” Emily called out, and picked up the pace to catch up.</p><p>“Hi Emily!” Annie smiled brightly. “What can I help you with?”</p><p>“Nothing right now.” Emily replied right away.</p><p>“Oh.” Annie uttered, slightly confused.</p><p>“I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to join us for a night out? We were thinking maybe on Friday?”</p><p>Annie’s face brightened up immediately. “Yeah! Sure, that sounds fun.” </p><p>“Cool! I’ll let you know the time and place by tomorrow! Still kind of in the prep phase.”</p><p>“Absolutely. Just let me know, I should be able to make it.” </p><p>“I guess your shift ends soon, so I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”</p><p>“Oh. No. I have some uni classes tomorrow.” Annie clarified.</p><p>“Right, right. See you Wednesday then!”</p><p>“You will. Thanks for inviting me!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Annie goes out drinking with her co-workers. Jeff and Britta have a long needed talk to clear the air.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Friday evening, Annie found herself in downtown Denver at a fancy club she wasn’t familiar with. Truth be told, she wasn’t familiar with any Denver clubs. She had googled some after getting back home on Monday, but they all seemed like the same, with reviews ranging between five stars and <em>‘best club everrrrrrrrrrr’</em> to one star and <em>‘the bouncers suck they kicked me out!!!!’</em> on pretty much every single one. With little info to go on, she let the others pick the place without any objections.</p><p>Annie chose a simple, black dress for the occasion, which didn’t reveal anything, but left her legs visible. To compliment it, she had decided to wear some matching black heels. It wasn’t the most effort she had ever put into an outfit, but it was just a fun night out, she wasn’t looking to impress anyone. Least of all herself. Jeff had told her she looked stunning when he picked her up to drive her to Denver, but she knew that she had far better outfits available if she wanted to look stunning. There was especially this red dress which accentuated her curves perfectly that she was dying to use. But it was for Jeff purposes only, and it had to be the right occasion.</p><p>“Annie!” Emily called out, having spied Annie entering the room.</p><p>Annie’s eyes searched out for the voice in the crowded room, and noticed her blonde coworker dressed in a dark-blue short dress, standing by a corner booth where Cam, Mason and two people she didn’t know were sitting. “Em!” She replied, then pushed through people to get over there.</p><p>“Annie! So good that you could come!” Emily called back and gave Annie a short hug once she came over to the table. </p><p>“Hey! Thanks for inviting me!” Annie told Emily, then scanned the table to see the others sitting there, with Cam sitting there in a casual open blazer, while Mason had gone for the classic jeans and light blue shirt combination. “Hey guys!”</p><p>“Hey.” The others replied in unison.</p><p>“I want you to meet Claire and James.” Emily added with a smile and gestured to two unknown faces sitting by the table.</p><p>“Hi!” Annie said to them both, smiling broadly. “I think I remember seeing you?” She asked James and shook his hand. He looked slightly older than her, maybe early 30s, and had tan brown hair, with a casual blue and black plaid shirt and dark jeans on.</p><p>James nodded affirmatively. “Yeah, I think I’ve seen you too. White Mazda?”</p><p>“Yeah…? How do you know that?” Annie questioned skeptically, her eyes narrowing as she studied his response carefully.</p><p>“I work down in the parking garage, with security. I don’t always see people close-up, but I can see what cars show up and roughly who comes out of them. You looked familiar, I notice when new people and cars start showing up, those are the ones I need to pay attention to.” James explained to her. “If it helps, I know that Emily has a midnight blue Toyota, Cam has a black BMW, Mason doesn’t have a car, while Claire here recently got herself a blue Ford Focus.”</p><p>“That I do. It’s my little baby.” Claire cooed happily.</p><p>Annie sat down beside Emma on the edge of the corner booth and turned to look over at Claire, dark skinned woman around the same age as Emily, who simply sported jeans and dark red sweater for the occasion. “I think I’ve seen you too? Were you the one that set up my computer?”</p><p>“Oh yeah! I remember you. You’re right across from Mason, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Yep, that’s me.”</p><p>“Think she’ll need a new keyboard soon enough; I’ve heard how she types. Sounds like a maniac trying to murder their computer.” Mason teasingly chimed in with.</p><p>“I do <em>not</em>.” Annie defiantly replied to Mason, who was sitting on the opposite edge of the booth. “My keyboard is fine; I promise I don’t need a new one.” She explained to Claire.</p><p>“Well, if you do, hit me up. Oh, and if you <em>really</em> want to annoy this idiot, I can hook you up with a mechanical keyboard. I swear, those things can wake the dead.”</p><p>“Ohhh, yes, I’d like that!” Annie smiled mischievously, excitedly bouncing slightly up and down in her seat.</p><p>“Please god, don’t do that. I beg you.” Mason pleaded with Annie. “Claire, please don’t let her do this to me.” He begged.</p><p>“Fine, I won’t do it.” Annie accepted. “But be nice, or I will get one, and I will terrorize you. Is that understood?” She warned Mason teasingly.</p><p>“Yes Annie, I’ll be nice.” Mason obediently replied in resignation.</p><p>“Good. Now can you go get me a drink? A vodka cranberry, please?” Annie asked nicely and gave him the eyes.</p><p>Mason groaned. “<em>Fine</em>.” He accepted and walked off towards the bar.</p><p>“Holy crap.” Cam commented. “How did you do that?”</p><p>“She made him fold like a lawn chair. Bent him to her will in an instant.” Claire remarked.</p><p>“A master of the dark art of manipulation.” James added.</p><p>“It’s those eyes. She’s sneaky. If you let her, she’ll sneak up on you and make you do her bidding. Be careful guys.” Emily concluded.</p><p>“Pshh.” Annie uttered, waving them off as if they were all ridiculous for thinking she would do such a thing.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Meanwhile, Jeff was on the highway back home to Greendale when he got a call. Looking at the display on his car monitor, he noticed that it was Britta. Quickly, he accepted it while keeping his eyes on the road.<p>“Britta, how can I help you?”</p><p>Britta cleared her throat. “Hi Jeff. Uh, are you driving? Sounds like you’re driving.” </p><p>“Yeah. You’re on speaker right now.”</p><p>“Annie there?” She questioned.</p><p>“No, dropped her off in Denver. On my way back to Greendale now.” Jeff explained.</p><p>“Good.” Britta replied, then stopped, leaving Jeff puzzled as to her intentions before she continued. “I was wondering if you’d like to come over?”</p><p>“Uh, I was just planning to crash for the night, really. Then pick Annie up later.” Jeff hesitantly replied, not really wanting to do anything that night. He had done his effort for the day, so hanging out was not on the list of things he felt like doing.</p><p>“Come on Jeff, let’s do something.” Britta said, and Jeff could hear her frustration clear through the speakers. If he hadn’t been driving, he could probably have imagined her overexaggerated body movements to complement the frustrated tone too.</p><p>“Britta..”</p><p>“Jeff, we <em>never</em> hang out anymore.”</p><p>“Come on, we hung out just the other week.” Jeff tried to reason with her.</p><p>Britta scoffed. “Yeah, because you brought a friend to where I work. And I still had to work while you were there.”</p><p>“Barely.”</p><p>“Still, I was at work. And there were two others there. It’s never just you and me. I barely even see you anymore. When you’re at Greendale you’re either in class, in your office, or in the faculty lounge where I can’t get in anyway. And then you just go hang out with Annie at your place.”</p><p>“Look, I know I haven’t been around as much as I should, but can we just-“</p><p>“No. Jeff. Let’s hang out. Tonight. Then you can go pick up Annie afterwards.”</p><p>Jeff groaned. “Fine. I’ll stop by.”</p><p>“Great!” Britta replied, her voice almost seeming surprised. “Uh, see you soon!” She added, before hanging up.</p><p>Jeff sighed. Spending the night with Britta was not on his agenda, not at all. His hope was to crash in front of the tv and play videogames. He had finally gotten himself a Playstation 4, and he was damned if he wasn’t going to use it. But alas, it would not be like that. Not this night, anyway.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>*** </p>
</div>“So, Annie, how did it go with that thing we talked about a few weeks ago? I realized earlier that I never asked you how it went.” Emily subtly questioned Annie after the others had disappeared off to the floor, with the two of them remaining in the booth.<p>“With Jeff?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“It went well. We talked, and he was great about it. Everything is good again now, which is a relief.”</p><p>“Oh Annie, that’s great!” Emily smiled happily and pulled Annie in for a cheerful hug.</p><p>“I’m kind of nervous though.” Annie admitted while Emily hugged her, causing her to let go and look worriedly at Annie.</p><p>“Why? Has something happened?”</p><p>“No, nothing yet. But I’m going to meet his mom.”</p><p>“Oh, wow.” </p><p>Annie took a deep breath to settle herself. “I’ve known about it for a while. She’s known about me and Jeff ever since the day I interviewed for you guys. And she really wants to meet me, according to Jeff. I’m invited over for thanksgiving there next week.”</p><p>“How do you feel about meeting her? Aside from the nerves.”</p><p>“It feels a bit weird. I know that I have to meet her eventually, and I want to. Everything Jeff has said about her and what he’s reiterated from her words has been positive. I’m just scared I’ll screw it up somehow. That I’ll be too intense or say something crazy. Half the people I meet seem to think I’m some crazy control freak or something.” Annie admitted.</p><p>“Annie, you’re going to be fine. She’ll like you. Everyone here does. And Jeff does. That’s the most important part. If she’s as nice as he says she is, then she’ll like you too.” Emily tried to encourage.</p><p>“Yeah, you’re right….” Annie admitted, sporting a weak smile as she looked down at her empty drink. “I just feel like this is my shot, you know?”</p><p>“Your shot to make a first impression.”</p><p>“Well, yes. But not what I really meant. I…. I don’t really talk with my parents.”</p><p>“…so you feel like this is your shot to have someone like that in your life?” Emily deduced from Annie’s words.</p><p>“Kind of? I don’t want her to be like, <em>my mom</em> or anything, I just want her to like me. To feel like there’s a parental figure there that approves of me or something. I don’t know. Maybe I’m just being crazy.”</p><p>“You’re not. I get it. I would be nervous too in your position.”</p><p>At that moment, Mason came walking back to the table with two drinks in hand. “Here you go, saw your glass was empty.” He said, putting down another vodka cranberry in front of Annie, before sitting down to sip on his beer.</p><p>Annie smiled weakly at him. “Thanks Mason.”</p><p>“Everything okay?” He questioned, looking at her with a worried expression.</p><p>“Yeah.” Annie nodded. “Was just talking with Em about some personal stuff that I needed to get out.” </p><p>“It’s nothing to worry about.” Emily chimed in with, causing Annie to give her a grateful nod.</p><p>“Okay, hope it works out for you at least.” Mason kindly said, and took a sip of his own drink, which to Annie looked like some random beer.</p><p>“Probably will. I’m just nervous and freaking out when I probably don’t need to. You know how it is.” </p><p>“Yeah. Sometimes it’d be great if I could just… turn off my emotions?” </p><p>“Yes! That’d be so great. Just like an emotional off-switch so you can think clearly!” Annie smiled, and nodded in agreement.</p><p>“Exactly! Damn you, emotions, always messing up our judgement.” Mason said, shaking his fist while looking up at the dark ceiling in mock anger.</p><p>Annie giggled at his little display.</p><p>“Well, let’s not worry about that tonight. Tonight is supposed to be fun! And with that in mind, I’m going to go get a drink, then head out on the floor.” Emily announced, having watched their little interaction.</p><p>“Okay, have fun!” Annie said, and cheerfully waved Emily off as she strolled away to the dance floor. Mason simply gave Emily an acknowledging nod.</p><p>“You up for a bet?” Mason suddenly asked Annie.</p><p>“What for?”</p><p>“Ten bucks that Em and Cam end up kissing by the end of the night.”</p><p>Annie scoffed. “Those two? Doubt it.” Annie replied, narrowing her eyes at Mason skeptically.</p><p>“There were rumors when I started that they were starting to get really close before Emily got the researcher job. And I’ve seen it, sometimes, those looks? They linger a bit longer than normal.”</p><p>“I don’t see it.”</p><p>“I’m telling you, if they get some alcohol in and go out there to dance, something might happen.” Mason insisted.</p><p>“Okay then since you’re so sure. You’re on.” Annie finally replied.</p><p>“I win ten dollars if they kiss by the end of the night, you win ten dollars if they don’t. Deal?” Mason said and reached out his hand to shake Annie’s.</p><p>“What if they kiss and we don’t find out until like, way later?” Annie questioned.	</p><p>“Then you keep the money. If none of us here see it, then it doesn’t matter. Bet’s for tonight only.”</p><p>“Deal.” Annie said, and shook his hand.</p><p>“What are we betting on?” Claire questioned as she came back to the table with James in tow.</p><p>“Mason thinks that Em and Cam will kiss.” Annie explained.</p><p>“Those two? Naaaaah.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t surprise me, seen them come in at the same time many times. Hell, I’ve seen them both take Cam’s car before.” James chimed in with.</p><p>Annie looked at him worriedly, and peered over to the floor, where she saw Emily walking over from the bar and over to Cam, who was standing in the corner of the room on his phone. Annie saw Cam look up as Emily handed him a drink, and he instantly smiled happily. Annie quickly looked away and caught the look of Mason. He simply smirked confidently at her.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Jeff headed up the stairs to 303 slightly annoyed. He simply wanted a calm night where he just stayed up longer than normal to pick up Annie later. Instead, he had to hang out with Britta. Jeff took a deep breath to settle himself, and to wipe the annoyed expression off his face before knocking on the door to 303. He heard some noise inside, like someone bounced up from the sofa too quickly, before quickly walking to the door.<p>The door opened. “Hey Jeff, come in.” Britta said calmly, stepping aside so Jeff could enter.</p><p>“Hey.” Jeff replied with a nod, and stepped inside, hanging up his coat on the hanger. He turned around, and saw that Britta was heading towards the couch. He took the chance to look around the place, and while he had stopped by now and then, he couldn’t help but notice how different it looked these days. The lack of Abed’s intense nerdiness really showed, and by now it looked nothing like it had the first time he was there. It had signs of Annie there, but it looked more and more like Britta’s old place, back when they used to do….stuff.</p><p>“Come, take a seat.” Britta called out.</p><p>“Coming.” Jeff replied, and sat down in a chair.</p><p>“Want a drink?”</p><p>“No thank, driving. I’ll take a glass of water though.” Jeff replied.</p><p>“Coming right up.” Britta said, and quickly bounced up from the couch Jeff recognized as the one her parents had bought. Part of him was amazed that Annie and Abed had managed to screw that up so royally by failing to remove the name tag on it, given their usual attention to detail, but it had also been nice to have the cat out of the bag on that whole escapade and finally stop keeping that secret. It had given great perks, such as great potato mash and some nice Christmas gifts, but it was also tiresome to keep lying about the stuff he had supposedly gotten her. </p><p>Britta returned moments later with a glass of water for Jeff, and a beer for herself. </p><p>“Beer for yourself huh.” Jeff commented.</p><p>“Think I’ll need it.” Britta replied briefly.</p><p>Jeff looked at her curiously, with narrowed, skeptical eyes. “Britta, is everything alright?” </p><p>“Yeah!” Britta blurted out, almost reflexively. “I mean no! No. Everything isn’t okay.” She quickly corrected.</p><p>“What?” Jeff questioned, looking at her in utter confusion. “Which one is it?”</p><p>“The last one.”</p><p>“Okay… I can’t believe I’m going to say this…but do you want to talk about it?”</p><p>“That’s why you’re here.” Britta clarified.</p><p>“You asked me here specifically to talk about things? Britta, you know I’m not good at that stuff. I’m the last person you should ask about that.” Jeff said, and sighed. “You should call up Shirley or ask Annie. Hell, even Duncan if he’s sober and you offer him free food can do the trick.” </p><p>“No, I need to talk to you specifically.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“I want to talk about us.” Britta blurted out.</p><p>Jeff stopped. He looked at her, studying her face to see if she was messing with him, if this was some kind of bad joke. “Britta…”</p><p>“I know what it sounds like Jeff, just listen-“</p><p>“Britta.” Jeff interrupted. “We can’t do this. That can never, ever happen again. That ship has sailed. Sunk. Titanic’d. It’s over.”</p><p>“What? No. It’s not that.”</p><p>“Then what the hell is this about?”</p><p>“It’s about….<em>ugh!</em>” Britta audibly groaned in frustration.</p><p>“Britta, making weird noises doesn’t make me understand.”</p><p>“Shut up.” Britta commanded. “It’s about how fucking absent you’ve been!”</p><p>“Look, Britta, I’m sorry I haven’t been around enough.” Jeff began to apologize.</p><p>“No! You don’t understand! It’s not just you.”</p><p>“Then why am I here?” </p><p>“Because you’re the reason why.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Jeff, I barely see you anymore. I don’t see you at Greendale because you just <em>leave</em> right away. And then I go back home, <em>alone</em> and not even my roommate is here! I was so excited to get Annie back, but I barely see her! She’s here a few days a week, and then <em>poof!</em> She’s back at your place! And do we ever hang out just the three of us? No! I never see you; I never see Annie. Abed moved, Shirley moved, Troy is…is he even alive? Frankie sounds like she wants to strangle me half the time and is no fun to hang out with, and believe me, I tried. And Elroy <em>sometimes</em> responds to some email about Natalie Is Freezing. And that’s it. I don’t see any of you anymore, Jeff!” Britta angrily explained, her arms flailing in sheer, uncontrolled frustration.</p><p>Jeff remained silent for a few seconds after Britta’s speech, just taking in everything she had said. “Wow.” He finally muttered out.</p><p>“Really!? That’s all you have to say? <em>‘Wow’</em>!?”</p><p>“No, I just don’t know what to say, Britta.” Jeff tried to explain, his voice low and measured. Finally, he took a deep breath and spoke. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t realize that you felt that way, or what I’ve been doing. I should’ve been better at including you, and I’m really sorry that I haven’t.”</p><p>“But it’s not just you Jeff, it’s Annie too. You guys just disappear off to your place, and then I don’t see any of you!”</p><p>“Again, I’m sorry about that. It’s just….it feels weird to hang around you both.”</p><p>“Jeff, if you think I’m still interested, I’m not.”</p><p>“No. Not that. It just feels like we have a third wheel, you know.”</p><p>“You know, Abed was right.” Britta blurted out.</p><p>“About what?”</p><p>“About this <em>‘changing the fabric of the group’</em> thing he said, years ago. He told me when I was therapizing him. And he was right, relationships change things. It feels like we aren’t even friends anymore, Jeff. It feels like it’s you and Annie, and then I’m that annoying friend you don’t want to hang out with because it’s awkward or whatever.” Britta explained.</p><p>“Yeah….”</p><p>“Can’t you just like, pause the relationship for a bit? Like, I don’t mind you guys being comfortable around each other, we both agree that it’s nothing between us anymore. Can’t we just, for once just be a group of friends? Is that so hard? Or are you going to be one of those douches that gets a girlfriend and then never sees their friends anymore?”</p><p>“Britta, I didn’t mean to do that.” </p><p>“But it’s what you did!” Britta cut in. “You’re so fucking unavailable now! You run back to your comfy apartment and just shut the door on me! I’m sick of it, Jeff! I’m just always playing second fiddle in your life. No matter how close we ever were, your mind was always somewhere else. I’m sick and tired of it, Jeff. If you can’t even take a break from Annie for <em>one</em> night, if it’s <em>that</em> difficult for you to hang out with me, are we even friends anymore?”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p>“…and then this idiot went like <em>‘I’m completely sober, I can prove it by unbuttoning my whole shirt without failing.’</em>” Claire told Annie, retelling a story of a previous misadventure while slurring slightly, the whole group starting to get slightly tipsy at this point.</p><p>“Hey, I did not say that!” Cam argued.</p><p>“But you did it!”</p><p>“Yeah, and I nailed it.” Cam added with far too much confidence for such an achievement.</p><p> “Yeah, like the bouncer gave a damn.” Claire pointed out.</p><p>“At least he gave a decent show.” Emily pointed out and gave Cam a shy smile.</p><p>“So that’s what you call it huh.” Claire teased, eyeing her coworker with narrowed eyes.</p><p>“Yeah, I mean it’d be a bit boring if everyone here was like, super boring drunks. This way we have at least one person who will do something really stupid.”</p><p>“What about you Annie, got any funny drunk stories?” James asked.</p><p>“Uhm, not that much really. I once entered a bar with a fake ID from Texas and pretended like I was from there for the whole night.” Annie explained.</p><p>“Damn, bold move Edison.” Mason teased.</p><p>“Oh shut up Mason, like you’re all that badass.”</p><p>“Compared to <em>that</em>, I am.”</p><p>Annie scoffed. “Yeah right, you’re all talk.” </p><p>“Oh please, like sneaking into a bar is all that crazy. I’m sure all of us have done that once. I know I have. What’s the next thing you’ll admit to? Flirting with the bartender to get free drinks?”</p><p>“I would <em>not</em> do that.”</p><p>“Oh please, you know how to get what you want, Annie. You’re not as sneaky as you think.”</p><p>Annie narrowed her eyes at him.</p><p>“I’m onto you, Edison.” He warned.</p><p>“Well, you guys have fun, I’m going to get another drink.” Cam announced and slid out of the booth.</p><p>“I’ll go with.” Emily announced, and followed him, her shorter legs moving quickly to catch up.</p><p>The rest of them watched them closely as they headed off.</p><p>“Watch this.” Mason told them, his eyes not moving away from Cam and Emily. </p><p>They watched Cam walk up to the bar, with Emily catching up to him right there. He turned and saw her, and they could see that smile on his face again. Cam turned back to the bartender, and while they couldn’t hear what he was saying, they saw him hold up two fingers. After a few seconds, they were each handed a drink, and headed off to the dancefloor. For a little bit, they could see them just calmly swinging to the music, sipping at their drinks. But then it happened. They moved a little closer, their eyes meeting, and then in unison they met for a short and sweet kiss, before parting, each of them looking at each other shyly.</p><p>“Look at them! They’re actually doing it!” James called out to the others, who were watching the same thing.</p><p>“Awwwwww.” Annie cooed happily at seeing them kiss.</p><p>“Well, I’ll be damned.” Claire said.</p><p>Annie turned around, and saw Mason there, holding his hand out with his palm faced up. “Pay up.” He said, smiling confidently.</p><p>Annie rolled her eyes at him. “Can’t we just be happy for them? They’re kinda cute together.”</p><p>“A bet is a bet, pay up.” Mason demanded, his hand gesturing for her to pay up.</p><p>“I don’t have cash; can I transfer it tomorrow?”</p><p>“I’ll tell you what, buy me a drink and we’re even.” Mason suggested.</p><p>“Any specific one you want?”</p><p>“I’ll take a Manhattan.”</p><p>“Coming right up then.” Annie smiled, and Claire scooted out so Annie could slip away to the bar.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Over at apartment 303, the silence was deafening. Jeff still hadn’t said anything, staring emptily at his empty glass of water. But no matter how much he drank, his mouth remained dry. Britta, not being his friend anymore. Just the thought alone made him dizzy. She was the one who would <em>always</em> be there. The one that would be there if his life fell to pieces again, who was just enough of a mess that they could default back to each other. Or so he had thought in moments of panic in the past. He had tried to push those thoughts away, focus all his attention on Annie, on himself. To fix himself, get himself a career he could be proud of, one Annie could be proud of. His spare time revolved around her, around being as good of a boyfriend as he could possibly be, because she was his shot at happiness, she was his entire happiness, for better or worse.<p>But in the process, he had alienated a close friend. The friend he had a weird, complicated past with, the one whose friendship felt odd when he was dating their mutual friend. And so, he had pushed her aside, discarded her like an old toy he didn’t need anymore. He felt like shit. This was what he had feared himself, what he had feared would happen to him once Annie left. But instead, Britta ended up living his own fear. </p><p>Finally, Jeff decided to break the silence. “Britta, I still want to be your friend.” He said, his voice low, measured and weak.</p><p>“But you don’t act like you do!” Britta bit back, harshly. But probably deserved, Jeff realized.</p><p>“I know. I need to be better.” Jeff conceded, his voice still low.</p><p>“You know, I’d believe you, but it’s not like this is a new thing either, you’ve done this before, putting me second, and just ignoring me. It feels like I’m just there when you need me, like I’m this weird safety blanket for in case your white picket fence dreams don’t work out for you.”</p><p>“I know I haven’t treated you well Britta. I should’ve paid more attention to you lately. But I’m not sure what you mean about doing this before.”</p><p>“Oh come on Jeff! Remember years ago, when we slept together?”</p><p>“I’d rather not go there.”</p><p>“Oh but we are, Jeff! We are! I’ve been thinking this for so long, and now that I’ve brought it up, I’m going to finish this! And you’re just going to have to fucking take it Jeff because you earned it!” Britta rambled, her voice gradually increasing in volume, practically shouting at him.</p><p>“Okay.” Jeff said calmly, simply accepting what was about to happen.</p><p>“We slept together. For nearly a year! And yet you didn’t act like you cared. You spun this whole <em>‘hiding it for the good of the group’</em> crap, compartmentalizing or whatever. But I realized after we ended it why you were doing that.”</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“You were keeping everything secret, making up fake names for me when we, because of Annie. You weren’t trying to abide by any dumb group rules or anything, you were hiding me from her.”</p><p>“Britta, I wasn’t interested in Annie at the time. I couldn’t be with Annie. I knew that. You knew that.”</p><p>“Yeah, but you hid me to protect her feelings. Because deep down, you wanted her, not me.”</p><p>“Britta, that’s not true.”</p><p>“Oh come on Jeff, you couldn’t even look me in the eyes when we slept together. And then suddenly once you start sleeping with Annie, she basically told me while really angry at me how great you were and how attentive you were. I haven’t seen you date <em>anyone</em> since we stopped. Not a single person, not even a single date as far as I know. I don’t kid me with not being able to find anyone, you could easily get a date if you tried. So, it’s not like you’d suddenly become much better at it. And then suddenly once you get with Annie, you’re basically blowing her mind away? And it just hit me. It wasn’t because you were being self-centered or that you just couldn’t do sex at all. The whole reason was Annie, all along.”</p><p>Jeff was stunned into silence, from Britta bringing up that. He didn’t know what to say, how to explain his thoughts. After a few seconds, he spoke, his eyes still looking down, scared of facing hers. “Britta, I didn’t….I didn’t realize about Annie until way later, years later.” He attempted to explain, his voice low and nervous.</p><p>“But you still had feelings for her! You thought about her, cared for her, more than you did for me! You were happy to go on your little adventures, cancel dates and flip everything upside down just to be with her. All while hiding me like I was your shameful little secret! Yet you were still happy to go around sleeping with me because it was comfortable, easy. I never said anything about it because I just wanted some damn sex too now and then. But I realized afterwards that you couldn’t even do that right, you couldn’t even do the decent thing and look at me or even try to make me feel good! And then I see you both now, all happy and comfortable, and I’m left outside looking in. Do you realize how much that hurts? That you slept with me while your mind was on someone else, and then once you get with her you just cut me out of your life? That hurts, Jeff. You were an ass to me, and you’ve been a crappy friend to me for months now.”</p><p>“If you knew all of this, why didn’t you tell me?” Jeff questioned, and instantly regretted it when he saw Britta’s eyes widen, her mouth opening to likely give him an earful.</p><p>“Because I’m a mess, Jeff! I’ve been stupid, so when you offered to just do something casual, I took it, just like when you fucking <em>proposed</em> to me, I accepted it because I was a mess! I didn’t think I could do any better, every relationship I tried went to hell anyway, so why not just take the first and best that showed up? And you <em>knew</em> that! You <em>knew</em> that I would accept when everything was going to shit anyway. You used me, repeatedly, because you didn’t have the guts to get the person you really wanted!” Britta shouted angrily at him.</p><p>Jeff remained silent, looking at Britta’s intense, angry, hurt look. How her pupils were blown, how she was breathing heavily just to compose herself after practically yelling at him. He didn’t know what to say. Words were usually his strength, his weapon. But he knew he couldn’t deceive or lie his way out this. Britta knew the truth. “I’m really sorry, Britta.” He began saying and took a deep breath. “I’m really sorry I did that to you. You’re right. Of course you are. I didn’t realize or know what I felt at that time. I was just…trying to push it away, you know? I figured it was just this weird feeling for someone that would just go away if I pushed it far enough away. Because that’s how it always worked. If I distracted myself, it would just go away. I didn’t mean to be like that to you, to use you, but I think that’s what I ended up doing. I should have realized. I’ve beaten myself up on that before, that I didn’t realize or accept what I felt. And I should have ended it, and just been honest with you. Been honest with Annie. I’m really sorry I didn’t do that.”</p><p>Britta sighed. “Look Jeff, I get it. You were confused and being an idiot, that’s in the past, but what hurts me is when I see you two now. Not because I want you; I don’t. But because it reminds me of how ultimately, I was just a distraction to you before you had the guts to get the girl you really wanted. And I’m sick of that. I’m always just someone else’s number two. When I was with you, you were dreaming of Annie. When I was with Troy, he was just hanging out with Abed and pushing me further and further away. Even Rick couldn’t just quit doing his job 24/7 and put off a tiny bit of time just to prioritize me. I don’t feel like I matter to anyone.”</p><p>“You do matter, Britta. You’re my friend. You’re Annie’s friend. I can’t erase what I did, but I promise you that I’ll be a better friend to you.”</p><p>Britta scoffed. “Yeah right, like you’ll want to hang out with me when Annie’s around.”</p><p>“We can. And we can hang out just the two of us as well.” Jeff suggested.</p><p>“And how would that work? I come over to your place while Annie is here? Because if you come here, Annie will be here too.”</p><p>“What about at Greendale?” </p><p>“Where you’re never at.” </p><p>“I’ll be there until June. Come eat lunch with me.”</p><p>“Yeah right, like I can get into the faculty lounge where you usually hide away.” Britta replied sarcastically, rolling her eyes at his suggestion.</p><p>“I can get you in there if you want. That rule is mostly just to keep the Dean out of there. I usually eat with Duncan, I’m sure he won’t mind a third person. If necessary, I’m sure I can get him to make you a teacher’s assistant or something, so you’d technically be allowed in anyway.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“Yeah. Come join us there, we’re usually there every day.”</p><p>“Okay, that’s cool, but I’d like to be able to see Annie too, you know? I barely see her when she’s just over at your place all the time.”</p><p>“I can come hang out here if you want?”</p><p>“For how long? A week or two until she moves out?”</p><p>“That won’t happen.” Jeff replied instantly.</p><p>“Oh bullshit, she basically lives with you already.” Britta replied harshly.</p><p>“Abed spilled the news that I want her to move in with me on Halloween.” Jeff admitted, causing Britta to look at him curiously. “We had a small disagreement. She’s not moving in with me, at least not right away. And if she is, we’d let you know right away.”</p><p>“Oh wow. You had a fight?” Britta asked, the surprised evident in her voice.</p><p>“Yeah. It wasn’t anything big, but we agreed that we didn’t need to rush into it. Eventually, I do want that, it feels right to me, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t hang out just the three of us if you’re comfortable with it.”</p><p>“Just don’t sit here kissing while I'm around.”</p><p>“Deal.” Jeff replied instantly, a smile creeping up on his face. “Are hugs and snuggling off the table?”</p><p>Britta rolled her eyes at him “Don’t tell me she made you into a snuggler too.” </p><p>“It’s actually surprisingly nice.”</p><p>“Ugh.” Britta groaned. “Fine. But that’s it. No kissing while I’m in the room. I want us to hang out like friends.”</p><p>“Sounds good. Speaking of it, want to watch a movie or something? Got some time to kill before I expect any noise from Denver.”</p><p>“Yeah, that would be nice.” Britta replied, and for the first time in a while, Jeff could see a smile appearing on Britta’s face too. Jeff couldn’t help but smile back, if only just in relief. Relief that he hadn’t lost his friend.</p><p>“But no documentaries.” Jeff demanded.</p><p>“Scared you’re going to learn something new?” Britta mocked him with a slight laugh.</p><p>“You do realize who is crashing at my place, right? Me learning too little is the least of my problems.”</p><p>Britta laughed. “Dumb action movie it is.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>After a while, Annie noticed that Emily had slipped away from Cam, and decided to head over to the little not-so-hidden corner of the room they had disappeared off to. Curious as ever, Annie decided to head over there.<p>“Hey there, where’s Em?” Annie asked as she approached.</p><p>Cam turned around and noticed her. “She went to the bathroom.”</p><p>“Mhm, to <em>'freshen up a little'</em>?” Annie suggested, and she couldn’t help but smile.</p><p>“What?” Cam replied, narrowing his eyes at her. “No, I think she just needed to pee.”</p><p>“Suuuure.”</p><p>“She’s been drinking a lot, having to pee after that is normal.” </p><p>“Mhm, definitely.” Annie said, smiling gleefully.</p><p>Cam narrowed his eyes at her even more, tilting his head slightly and sporting a skeptical look. “What are you up to Edison? Why are you smiling like that?”</p><p>“Oh you know, I’m just in a good mood.”</p><p>“Oh God.” Cam groaned. “What did you see?”</p><p>“Nothing!”</p><p>“Annie.” Cam demanded in a harsh tone.</p><p>Annie smiled nervously. “I maaaay or may not have seen you and Emily, you knooooow….kiss.”</p><p>“Oh for fucks sake.” Cam blurted out in sheer annoyance. </p><p>Annie giggled happily.</p><p>“Annie. You have to promise me that you don’t tell this to anyone.”</p><p>“Uhm. Ehh, the others may have seen it too.”</p><p>“Fuck!” Cam said out loud, thankfully for him muted by the music in the room.</p><p>“Everything okay?”</p><p>Annie and Cam turned around and saw Emily there, her browns eyes observing them both carefully, her face showing signs of worry.</p><p>Annie’s mouth opened, but no actual words came out. “Uhhhhm….”</p><p>Cam sighed. “Annie knows. She saw us. As did the rest, according to her.”</p><p>“Ah. Shit.” Emily said, then paused. “I knew I we should have hidden it better. Ugh, I don’t know what I was thinking.”</p><p>“Hidden it better, you mean the kiss? There’s nothing wrong with it?” Annie tried to reassure them.</p><p>“It’s not that.” Emily replied, then looked to Cam. “What do you think we should do?”</p><p>“I’d rather do nothing.”</p><p>“We can’t. They know, we have to say <em>something.</em>”</p><p>“But what?” Cam questioned.</p><p>“We’ll just be honest. That way we can get in ahead of this.”</p><p>“Fine.” Cam agreed. “Annie, can you come with us?”</p><p>“I hope you’re not taking me out into the back alley to silence me?” Annie jokingly asked, laughing nervously.</p><p>“No, just come with us to the booth.” Emily replied.</p><p>“Okay.” Annie replied.</p><p>They headed back to the booth together, where Annie sat down beside Claire right away.</p><p>“There’s the lovebirds.” Mason teased.</p><p>Emily gave Mason a sour face, causing him to settle down instantly. “Yeah, about that, we have something to say.” </p><p>“Don’t worry y’all, the secret is safe with us.” Claire told Cam and Emily.</p><p>Cam sighed. “Look, we know you saw us kiss earlier.” </p><p>“But we figured you should know that it wasn’t just some random kiss.” Emily continued, and looked over at Cam, who gave her a nod. “Cam and I are seeing each other.”</p><p>The group collectively widened their eyes, before their mouths turned up into big smiles before turning into an inaudible mess of congratulations.</p><p>“Awww you guys, I’m so happy for you!” Annie said, and bounced out of her seat to give them both a big hug, the heels she and Emily had both chosen making the hug easier, since they were both closer to Cam’s admittedly average height in heels. Smiling awkwardly, both accepted the hug without resistance.</p><p>“How long have you been seeing each other?” Mason queried.</p><p>“A little over two months I think.” Cam replied right away, looking over at Emily for confirmation. She nodded.</p><p>“Wow, you guys are real sneaky.” Claire commented.</p><p>“Told you guys, they’ve been arriving at work together.” James chimed in with and took a sip out of his vodka martini.</p><p>“You really need to stop watching when people arrive.” Cam commented.</p><p>“Hey, it’s my job to see who enters and exits the parking garage. If I didn’t know, I’d be pretty damn bad at it.” James argued.</p><p>“He’s like an employed stalker.” Mason laughed.</p><p>James scoffed at the accusation.</p><p>“You guys should be glad I’m not responsible for the cyber security, me and J here could know all about you with our combined efforts if I did.” Claire teased.</p><p>“You guys are getting too powerful.” Cam replied, laughing slightly at their friendly teasing.</p><p>“I think we need to take them out.” Annie added.</p><p>“I think Cam and me should take all of you out, keep the secret to ourselves.” Emily told them, smirking at them.</p><p>“Oh no. I knew it. You’re going to take us all out in the back alley and eliminate us.” Annie joked.</p><p>“Nah, too obvious, and you caught onto it. We’re onto plan B now.” Cam added.</p><p>The group all snickered slightly at the secrecy.</p><p>“In all seriousness though guys, we’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone. We want to kind of control this info ourselves. We especially need to talk to Henry about it, and figure things out. So please, don’t tell anyone.” Cam requested, calming the group down right away.</p><p>“Yeah, we won’t say anything.” The group agreed and nodded.</p><p>“Thanks guys. We’ll tell people soon; we just need to figure out how and when.” Emily said. “Together.” She added, looking at Cam with a shy smile.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“You should have seen it, he did a psychoanalysis of Garrett, in which his conclusion was simply that Garrett was <em>‘like that fat kid from game of thrones mixed with the dwarf’</em>.” Britta recalled from one of her psychology classes.<p>“I mean, is he wrong? Garrett is in one of my classes, and I hate to tell you, but he’s no better there than he usually is.” Jeff pointed out.</p><p>“Still, he goes from completely dead serious and to just making up stuff in an instant.”</p><p>“That’s Duncan for you. He can be the smartest guy in the room until he doesn’t feel like it and just makes up some stuff on the fly. It’s part of what I liked about him, his ability to just come up with random arguments and sayings on the fly was second only to me.”</p><p>“Remind me again why we still tolerate you?”</p><p>“My incredible wits and charm of course.” Jeff deadpanned back.</p><p>“Ah, that’s right. You know, it’s funny, if you hadn’t been so insistent on getting a piece of <em>this</em>, the group never would have happened.” Britta reminisced, gesturing to herself.</p><p>“If you guys hadn’t invited me back in, that would’ve been the end of it. Don’t discount yourself. You are important to me.” Jeff pointed out.</p><p>“Oh, you thought I was giving credit to you? Naaaaah, I was just pointing out how my beauty and grace made the group happen.” Britta smirked confidently.</p><p>Jeff snorted. “You keep telling yourself that.”</p><p>“For real though, do you ever wonder what would have happened if we hadn’t met?”</p><p>“I have, sometimes. I think I’d just go back to being a lawyer, same as before. At times I’ve wondered if that would’ve been easier, less demanding. I didn’t care back then. But when I started to <em>actually</em> care about doing the right thing, it nearly broke me when I failed. I was good at one thing, but then suddenly I couldn’t do it even when I was legally allowed to? That was hard to take.” Jeff admitted.</p><p>“I probably would have dropped out or something. It would’ve just been one of the many short-term projects in my life. I could never settle down or do the same thing. I traveled, told the world how much it sucks, and when the world didn’t give a damn, I went somewhere else. Rinse and repeat, and you have my pre-Greendale life.”</p><p>“Do you ever think you’ll get out?” Jeff suddenly asked.</p><p>“Of Greendale?”</p><p>“Yeah, why?”</p><p>“I had this thought, for the past two years or so, that I was stuck there. That my future was just staying at Greendale. It scared me. I love the place, but if I spent the rest of my working days there…I’d probably go mad.”</p><p>“Don’t worry, you already did that once when you ruined our table.” Britta snickered.</p><p>“Oh come on, I was gassed.”</p><p>“Mhm. Sure.”</p><p>“You’re the worst.”</p><p>“Thank you!” Britta said, beaming proudly in sheer defiance.</p><p>Jeff rolled his eyes at her and sighed.</p><p>“To be honest though, I feared the same as you. I kept failing classes, specifically the psych classes. Yet I didn’t want to change major, because it was the one thing I wanted to do, the one thing I wanted to <em>be</em>. And I couldn’t do it. Eventually I just thought I’d just end up stuck there forever, forever taking classes, like some new Leonard or something.” Britta admitted.</p><p>“How’s it going now? Did you get Duncan to help you?”</p><p>“I did. He’s been really helpful to me, and he’s a much better teacher than the last guy.”</p><p>Jeff snorted. “Somehow I find that hard to believe.”</p><p>“I’m serious!” Britta insisted. “He’s really good when he wants to be. He actually <em>knows</em> what he’s talking about, and he hasn’t shown up hung over, drunk or late a single time.”</p><p>“Are you sure you weren’t too high to notice?”</p><p>“Screw you.” Brita spat back.</p><p>Jeff laughed. “I’m glad he’s doing better, and that you are too.”</p><p>Britta smiled, and peered down at her hands in her lap before she spoke. “It’s incredible, last year I was basically ready to just give up. I was failing everything, I got thrown out of my apartment, discovered that all of my friends and my parents had gone behind my back, and I had to <em>live</em> with two of them.” She admitted, then looked up a Jeff. “But I feel better now, you know? That’s why I had to say all that stuff to you, because I didn’t feel like I could earlier.” </p><p>“I feel the same, really. I was lost, resigned to just stay there forever, showing dumb Animal Planet shows during class and whatnot. But I feel better now. Happy, even. And it’s crazy, all of these things I thought I hated and could never have, they’re actually really nice.”</p><p>“You’re not the same guy I met years ago.”</p><p>“Neither are you. You were this assertive, bold, opinionated and extremely difficult woman. Somewhere along the line it felt like you stopped pushing back other than to throw some occasional fit. As crazy as this sounds, I missed this, you completely telling me off for the stupid stuff I’ve been doing. We need more of that Britta, the one who knows what she wants and doesn’t take no for an answer.”</p><p>“Well I don’t think we need more of the old Jeff. I prefer this one, even if he’s melted into some soft blob.”</p><p>“Hey, I have <em>not</em> gone soft.” Jeff said, then paused. “My abs are still awesome.”</p><p>“Ha-ha. Very funny, idiot.” Britta replied, rolling her eyes at him.</p><p>“I agree, I’m hilarious.”</p><p>“Sometimes I wonder why I’ve put up with you for all these years.”</p><p>“It’s my impeccable charm, good looks and charisma. It can’t be helped.” </p><p>Britta groaned. </p><p>Suddenly, Jeff heard his phone vibrate on the table, snapping him out whatever witty comment he was about to make. He grabbed the phone, unlocked it and read the message.</p><p><em>Hey csn u pick me upppp, Im kind of drunk n tired</em><br/>
-Annie &lt;3, 0:22 AM </p><p>“I think that’s my cue to leave.” Jeff announced to Britta.</p><p>“I assume you’ll take her back to yours?” </p><p>“Well based on her text, she’s pretty drunk, so unless you want a hung-over Annie who might need a lot of water and a bucket readily available, that was the plan, yeah.”</p><p>Britta paused before speaking. “On second thought, you can take care of it.” </p><p>“Thought so.” Jeff chuckled. “Does she have some water bottle here or something? Think she might need it.”</p><p>“Yeah, I think she has one. I’ll go find it.” Britta said, and stood up from the couch, heading over to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Jeff headed in the same direction.</p><p>Britta rummaged around in a corner cabinet, with Jeff eyeing her skeptically from the door.</p><p>“Find anything?” He finally asked after half a minute of unsuccessful rummaging.</p><p>“Shut up, it’s in there but it’s fallen down in the back.” Britta replied, her face pressed sideways against the top of the cabinet while she reached as far in as she possibly could.</p><p>“Want me to do it?”</p><p>“No!” Britta shouted back adamantly.</p><p>“Okaaaay…” </p><p>“Aha!” Britta proudly exclaimed and pulled out a purple Camelbak water bottle for Jeff to see.</p><p>“Was it really that hard to find? You should really throw some stuff out or get some kind of system in there.”</p><p>“Bleh.” Britta responded immediately, sticking out her tongue at him.</p><p>Jeff laughed. Britta was at times so unbelievably extra in everything she did, and so incredibly difficult in seemingly arbitrary situation. Those were traits he would see in Annie from time to time too, and he began to wonder if that was just his type. Good looking, smart women who were overly defiant and stubborn. He paused for a second, before letting out a shaking his head lightly with a smile on his face.</p><p>“What’s so funny?” Britta questioned, eyeing him with a curious expression.</p><p>“Nothing.” </p><p>“Okay. Well, here’s the bottle anyway, weirdo.” Britta said, and handed him the bottle.</p><p>“Thanks.” Jeff replied, then walked over to the sink and quickly cleaned it, before filling it up. “I think I’ll get going now.”</p><p>“Probably best, before you get a lot of calls demanding you show up <em>right now</em>.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Jeff laughed. “See you Monday?”</p><p>“Sure thing. You better be there though!” Britta warned pointedly</p><p>“I will. I’ll meet you in the cafeteria and then I’ll get you into the faculty lounge as promised.” Jeff reassured, while putting on his coat. </p><p>“I swear, if I turn up there on Monday and you can’t get me in there, I will murder someone. And that someone will be <em>you</em>.”</p><p>Jeff rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly. “You’ll get in, relax. Worst case, we’ll sit in the cafeteria.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>“Great.” Jeff responded in turn.</p><p>Britta groaned, and Jeff just smiled mischievously at having pressed just the right buttons with just one word.</p><p>“Anyway, I’m going to go now. For real.” Jeff said, and grabbed the door handle.</p><p>“Jeff?” Britta asked, her voice suddenly weaker, more vulnerable, catching Jeff off guard.</p><p>“Yeah?” Jeff replied, and turned to face her again.</p><p>“Thank you for talking with me tonight, and for listening to me.” Britta said, a sad smile appearing on her face.</p><p>“Of course. Thank you for telling me. And again, I’m sorry.”</p><p>“It’s okay.”</p><p>Jeff stepped closer to her and brought her in for a rare hug between the two. They stood there for a few seconds, with Britta wrapped in his arms.</p><p>“I’m going to head out now. For real for real. Good night, Britta.” Jeff finally said, and let go of her, stepping back and opening the door.</p><p>“Good night Jeff.” Britta returned, giving him a tight-lipped smile.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“Jeeeeffffffff where are youuuuuuuuuuu I’m hungryyy….” Annie’s drunken voice whined out over his car speakers.<p>Jeff sighed audibly. “Annie, you called me just ten minutes ago. I’m right around the corner now, just like I promised.”</p><p>“Just get here, okaaaaaaaaay?”</p><p>“I will. See you in a minute.” Jeff said, and hung up.</p><p>A minute later, Jeff pulled up along the sidewalk of the nightclub in his Lexus, and saw Annie standing there alongside a young guy he didn’t recognize. He noticed that Annie looked towards himself and smiled, then turned back to the other guy, said a few words, then gave him a hug. Quickly, and somewhat unsteadily, she pulled away, nearly losing her balance in the process. Jeff felt himself reaching for her but saw that the guy she just hugged reached out and steadied her, with Annie giggling uncontrollably. Jeff felt weird watching it, like he wanted to storm out of the car, grab Annie and leave. Instead, he just watched uncomfortably, trying to keep his composure.</p><p>Just as quickly, the moment was over, and Annie was opening the door to the car, waving to her friend before she sat into the car, bringing Jeff back to reality. </p><p>“Hey there, had a good time?” Jeff warmly greeted her.</p><p>“Jeeeeff, why’d you hang up on me?” A slightly drunk Annie whined in response.</p><p>“I was really close Annie, and you had called me three times, I wasn’t going to get here any faster despite your calls.”</p><p>“Jeeeeeff you knoooow I don’t like it when I you hang up on me like that...” Annie slurred.</p><p>Jeff sighed. “I’m sorry Annie, I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m here now, like you asked.”</p><p>“Thank youuu for picking me upppp.” Annie said, suddenly getting overly happy and hugging him on the spot. “Did I wake you up?”</p><p>“No, I was with Britta.”</p><p>“Oh.” Annie paused, her eyes drifting downwards momentarily. “Why? I thought you were staying in tonight?” She questioned, her big eyes looking at him with worry, suddenly appearing more sober.</p><p>“She wanted to talk with me, so I went to 303 to meet her.” </p><p>“Oh. Anything interesting?” Annie asked, then burped slightly, quickly covering her mouth.</p><p>“Nothing much, we just cleared the air a little about some stuff, I’ll tell you tomorrow.” Jeff said, and smiled reassuringly, making Annie visibly relaxed as she returned the smile.</p><p>“Why not now?”</p><p>“Because you need to get some rest, and some water.”</p><p>“I’m fiiiiiine.”</p><p>“Well, I brought you this.” Jeff said, and pulled her water bottle out of the cupholder and handed it to her.”</p><p>“Ooooooh I haven’t seen this in months!” Annie said excitedly, turning the bottle around in her hand and looking at it like a kid with a shiny new toy.</p><p>“Britta found it for you.”</p><p>“Aw.”</p><p>“And I filled it with some fresh water for you, so you can have some right now.”</p><p>“Awwww, that’s so sweet. Thank you Jeffy, you’re sweet and nice.”</p><p>“Did you just call me Jeffy?”</p><p>“Mhm.”</p><p>“I do not approve of that nickname.”</p><p>“Well that’s too bad, because you’re my Jeffy, and you’re just going to have to deal with it.” Annie said proudly, then took a sip of water from the Camelbak.</p><p>Jeff just smiled and shook his head, then pulled away from the sidewalk, starting the drive back to Greendale.</p><p>“Well did you have fun tonight?” Jeff asked her moments later. </p><p>“It was suuuuuuuuper fun, everyone had a lot to drink, and I got to know people so well, it was really nice!”</p><p>“That’s good.” Jeff said and smiled, before pausing. “By the way, who was the guy you were with outside?” </p><p>“Oooh, that was Mason, he’s really sweet. You’d like him. He got me a <em>lot</em> of drinks after I said I would annoy him at work, and we had this bet that Cam and Emily would kiss, he said they would, and I didn’t believe it, but he was right!” Annie excitedly explained. “Cam and Emily sitting in a tree, k i s s i n g.” She happily sang</p><p>“That’s fun. Glad you enjoyed yourself.” Jeff told her calmly, but inside he couldn’t help but feel a bit worried about this guy her age getting close to Annie. Without saying much, he kept driving back towards Greendale, while the happy drunk Annie was oblivious to it all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff and Annie goes to celebrate Thanksgiving with Jeff's mom. Both of them are nervous about it, for differing reasons.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Congratulations, it's me. Sorry it's been a while, had some computer issues that slowed down these chapters. I have another one ready to go, which I intend to post next week, so the wait won't be as long this time!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jeff felt frozen, his eyes locked to the road as he stiffly held the steering wheel, his grip tight enough that another man would wince had he shook their hand. Jeff was in his newly washed Lexus, heading towards Denver. Towards his mom’s place. She was finally going to meet Annie, the first woman he had brought home in over 20 years. They had agreed a while ago that he and Annie would come over for Thanksgiving so the two could finally meet. He had been fine with it, excited even, to let his guard down. His mom’s excitement had made him slightly nervous about the whole thing, but glad at the same time. </p><p>He knew his mom would love Annie, and Annie would like how affectionate and caring his mom was. No big deal, right? </p><p>Wrong. </p><p>As he had seen Annie starting to tense up over the mention of the visit over the past week, reality had started to set in for Jeff. This was a big deal. </p><p>He was bringing someone with him to his mom’s place for the first time in over <em>20 years</em>. And the first person he brings? Wonderful, sweet, passionate Annie Edison. Who was far too good for him, and far too young. He was scared. He didn’t care what random strangers might think, and his friends seemed to have accepted the inevitability of it all. But his mom didn’t know that. His mom knew he had a friend called Annie; knew they were now dating. But she didn’t know how much younger Annie was.</p><p>Throughout his life, he had always sought his mom’s approval. She had picked up the slack after his dad unceremoniously left them both, never to be seen again after the bitter divorce hearings. She had tried to be there for him, encouraging and supporting him in everything. His disappointing school grades and will to rise right to the top had led him to fabricate a big lie, becoming a lawyer without ever obtaining his undergrad. </p><p>He had cut her out for a few years before that, disappearing off like a rebellious teenager. He didn’t dare show back up again until he had something to show for it. And it was a law degree. She had been so happy for him, proud of him. And then the lie collapsed. It took him a year before he finally confessed. She had been hurt, of course she had. But she had forgiven him, because of course she had. She always did.</p><p>But bringing Annie to her, it scared him. He needed her to approve of them. To tell him that it was okay that he had fallen in love with Annie, to give her seal of approval. He knew she would probably be happy, but what if she became disgusted with him? She had been young herself when she met his awful, horrible dad. He had been older than his mom, and it had ended horribly. He knew that him and Annie might remind her of that. He strived to not be his dad, to never ever wrong Annie in any way, but his mom didn’t know that. She had every reason not to trust his judgment. He just hoped she would tell him that it’s okay. He needed to hear that, one more time. Because this meeting was definitely a big deal. </p><p>Jeff blinked his eyes rapidly, feeling like the buzzing sound in his ear was starting to fade. He heard Annie, heard her breathing. He glanced over at her. She was breathing rapidly, her head turned the other way, looking out the window. He knew now what that meant. She was stressing, likely overthinking things. As much as he felt overwhelmed by his own mind, he needed to calm her down. He needed to have her be his rock tonight if he was going to get through it. </p><p>“Annie?” He softly called out.</p><p>She didn’t respond.</p><p>“Annie, talk to me?”</p><p>Annie turned around, and Jeff quickly glanced over at her again. Her eyes were blown, her hands shaking.</p><p>“Annie, it’ll be okay.” He lied. He didn’t know that it would be. But he needed her to believe it.</p><p>“I’m just…” Annie began, then sniffled. “Worried that she won’t like me.”</p><p>“Annie, she’ll love you.” He reassured her. That he did know. His mom would love Annie, because how couldn’t she? It was whether his mom would accept him loving Annie that worried him.</p><p>“You think so?” Annie asked. Her voice was so weak, it nearly broke Jeff. He wanted desperately to give her a hug, kiss her and tell her that it was okay. But he also didn’t want to be in a car crash. His words would have to suffice this time.</p><p>“I know so. She’s put up with me all these years, so she’ll like you.”</p><p>“You’re her son. I’m just some…<em>girl</em>.”</p><p>“You’re not just some girl, Annie. Stop selling yourself short. You’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. You are smart, driven, funny and loving. And my mom will adore you.” Jeff insisted.</p><p>“Aw.” Annie cooed, but he could hear that she wasn’t convinced.</p><p>“Mom is really kind, it’ll be fine.”</p><p>“But what if she thinks I’ve been avoiding meeting her because of my own parents? We’ve been dating for around three months now, and she still hasn’t met me!”</p><p>“Annie, I haven’t brought anyone to meet her in forever. And if anyone knows how bad parents can hurt people, it’s her. She saw all of what that asshole did to me, to her. She understands, Annie. She wasn’t angry or confused when I told her.”</p><p>“Okay, but does she know about me, you know, having been to rehab? Maybe she thinks I’m this crazy druggie who refuses to meet her!” Annie questioned frantically, and in the corner of his eye, Jeff could see the uncertainty in her expression.</p><p>“No, I didn’t tell her that. I didn’t feel like it was my place to tell.”</p><p>“Oh.” Annie muttered, and looked away.</p><p>“And she won’t mind. I spent ten years of my life lying to her, and she forgave me somehow. She won’t care that you made some mistakes in high school. It’s a long time ago now, and you’re doing well. That’s all that matters.”</p><p>“Okay.” </p><p>“You don’t need to tell her today, or ever if you don’t want to…”</p><p>“Jeff, I should be honest with her.” Annie interrupted.</p><p>“I agree, but if you don’t feel comfortable telling her today, then don’t feel like you have to. We don’t need to go crazy with revealing life stories tonight.”</p><p>“You’re right, of course. Telling her now would be crazy. She would think I were insane if I opened with that.” Annie rapidly said, and Jeff could see that she was stressing again.</p><p>“Annie. Breathe.”</p><p>Annie closed her eyes took a deep breath.</p><p>“Better?” Jeff asked, and gripped her hand softly in his.</p><p>“Yeah. Thanks. My mind is just going crazy, I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Don’t be. It’s understandable. I’m here for you.”</p><p>“Thanks.” She said, giving him a sad, tight lipped smile. “Uhm, why have we stopped?”</p><p>“Well, we’re here.”</p><p>“Crap.” Annie mumbled, and pulled down the mirror to check out herself, looking around her eyes.</p><p>“Annie, you look great. Don’t worry about it.”</p><p>“You’re right, we shouldn’t keep her waiting. I just don’t want to show up looking like I cried.”</p><p>Jeff rubbed the top of her hand gently and looked softly into her vulnerable eyes. “Ready to go, milady?”</p><p>Annie’s face brightened up, a light eye roll and a smile appearing from his comment. “After you, Milord.”</p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>The duo walked up to the door together, with Annie gripping his hand unusually hard. Jeff knocked on the door with three quick knocks. He squeezed Annie’s hand reassuringly while they waited for the door to open.<p>The door opened, and they were faced with the sight of his mother. Her face was beaming with joy at seeing them, and quickly went in for a hug.</p><p>“Jeffrey! It’s so good to see you! I’m so glad you could make it this year!”</p><p>“Glad I could too mom.” Jeff replied, holding her close. </p><p>His mom then pulled away and looked over at Annie with a bright smile on her face.</p><p>“And you must be Annie.” She said, practically beaming with excitement. </p><p>“Yep, that’s me.” Annie replied, looking bashfully at Jeff’s mom.</p><p>“Well, I’m Doreen, it’s so nice to finally meet you! I’ve been ecstatic all week, waiting to meet the woman who turned my son into a big softie.”</p><p>“Mooom…” Jeff whined, causing Annie to giggle. </p><p>“It’s true dear, don’t think I didn’t notice how you spoke about her on the phone.”</p><p>Jeff actively looked away, while Annie looked at him with a bemused expression. </p><p>“Now, come here sweetie, I owe you one too.” Doreen said, and went in for another hug. Annie accepted it, and seemed to calm down a bit, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly. His mom usually had that effect on people. “I’ve heard so many good things about you, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”</p><p>“It’s good to meet you too, Mrs. Winger.” Annie said, and Jeff could notice her cringing slightly at the end. </p><p>“Please, call me Doreen.” Doreen said, smiling gently at Annie, who nodded in understanding.</p><p>“Sorry, Doreen.”</p><p>“Now, let’s get inside. It’s far too cold to linger out here.”</p><p>After discarding their jackets and shoes, Jeff and Annie stepped into the living room, where Doreen had put out some glasses by the couch. Doreen seemed to be in the kitchen, so Jeff guided them to the couch, where they sat down together.</p><p>“She seems nice.” Annie whispered to Jeff.</p><p>“She is, you’ll be fine.” Jeff reassured her, holding his arm around her, to which Annie snuggled up against him.</p><p>“You two are absolutely adorable together.” Doreen told them, walking out from the kitchen with some drinks in hand.</p><p>Annie startled slightly, before easing back into Jeff when he tightened his arms around her.</p><p>“And I must say, my son truly did undersell you. You’re absolutely gorgeous.” Doreen complimented Annie as she sat down.</p><p>Annie blushed slightly, and Jeff looked down at her with a pleased smile. “Thank you, Doreen.” Annie bashfully replied.</p><p>“You’re welcome dear. Now, there’s coffee, soda and water. Pick whichever one you prefer. I also have some wine, but I figured that could wait until dinner.”</p><p>“Thanks mom.”</p><p>“Dinner should be ready in half an hour, you’re here a bit early, but don’t snack too much in the meantime. And I’m looking at you Jeffrey, the turkey has more than enough protein, even for your needs.”</p><p>“Mom.”</p><p>“I’m only messing with you, Jeffrey. I know you need food to do all of that lifting of yours.”</p><p>Annie giggled slightly at their display.</p><p>“Now, Jeffrey told me that you’re working for the FBI now, how are you liking it?” Doreen suddenly asked Annie. </p><p>“I think it’s going quite well! We just solved this electrical fire case a few weeks ago, I got to go check out a crime scene and everything, and it turns out that my hypothesis was right! Oh, and we’re working on a murder that happened in Riverside. We’ve just started analyzing bullets to track down the killer through their weapon. It’s super exciting!” Annie replied, and Jeff could hear the pep in her voice. “And everyone there is being really nice and helpful to me, and I think I’m learning my tasks well. The environment there is super friendly, and the boss is great. It’s hard work, but I’m really enjoying it so far.”</p><p>“That’s great sweetie. What field are you working within?”</p><p>“Forensics! I’m a researchers assistant right now, but the boss told me that I could be fast-tracked for promotion if I do well and one of the older senior researchers retire soon.”</p><p>“My, forensics? A forensics scientist and a lawyer teaming up, you two must be some duo when you set your mind to it.” </p><p>Jeff and Annie shared a brief look, both chuckling to themselves. </p><p>“Yeah, it’s pretty fun when I can get him to help out.” Annie smiled, teasing Jeff slightly. “And I’m enjoying myself at work too, I think I made the right choice changing from Hospital Administration.”</p><p>“I’m glad you have found something you enjoy. A lot of people never get that, so please remember to cherish that opportunity.”</p><p>“I will. I still can’t believe they hired me, but I won’t let them regret it.”</p><p>Doreen smiled, then looked at Jeff. “Now, did you make any progress regarding the thing we spoke about last time you were here?”</p><p>Jeff instantly straightened up a bit in his seat. “Actually, I have some news about that. I’ve taken an offer to work within law again, and I’m starting next week.”</p><p>“That’s great!”</p><p>“I don’t know if you remember him, but my old colleague Mark offered me a job. It’s not a full position yet, I’ll just be a consultant until the summer so I can finish out my deal at Greendale the right way. I think I owe them that much. After that, I’ll be a partner in the firm.”</p><p>“I vaguely remember someone named that?”</p><p>“Small guy, dark hair. Like a well dressed dwarf.”</p><p>“Oh, that’s right! I seem to recall him being a nice fellow.”</p><p>“He is, and he’s been really accommodating and enthusiastic about bringing me on board. Hopefully it works out better this time.”</p><p>“It will, and the risk isn’t with you now. You can focus on doing your part without worrying about finances and all those things. That you know the guy and that he likes you enough to accommodate you is great news. I’m really happy for you Jeffrey, you’ll do great.” Doreen gushed happily, making Jeff blush slightly. </p><p>“Moooom..”</p><p>“I mean it dear; this is great news. I know you haven’t been big on the whole teaching thing, so this is great for you.”</p><p>“He’s been really pleased with it, he’s just too shy to admit it.” Annie chimed in. </p><p>“Oh, I know dear, he always acts so aloof, but I know he’s happy underneath the façade.”</p><p>“Mom.” Jeff groaned, giving her a pointed look. </p><p>“What, I didn’t bring it up this time?” Doreen replied, giving him a teasing smile. Jeff just shook his head.</p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>A while later, dinner was ready and they moved over to the dining table, with Annie and Jeff beside each other on one end, and Doreen on the other. <p>“Now, I have heard bits and pieces from Jeffrey, but I’m curious to hear about how you two got together. I understood that you guys have known each other for a long time?”</p><p>“Mom, don’t grill her please.”</p><p>“I’m just asking dear; you don’t tell me nearly enough about what’s going on in your life.” </p><p>Jeff felt a pang of guilt in his chest. He hadn’t exactly been the best at communicating with her, it was true. Though he had improved over the past half a year, it wasn’t nearly as much as he used to before his life collapsed. </p><p>“Uhm, we met during the first school year. We were both taking Spanish, and I heard about this study group, so I tagged along. Turns out that Jeff had just made the whole thing up to sleep with Britta, who is a friend of us.” Annie began explaining. </p><p>“Jeffrey!” Doreen scowled with some disdain at her son. </p><p>“Come on, that was six years ago!” Jeff protested. </p><p>“…anyway, we found out, and both of his plans failed. But we decided to actually go study, so we became friends. I uhm, thought he was a bit obnoxious early on, but kind of cute.” Annie said, looking over at him. “But nothing happened!” She quickly clarified to Doreen. “We uhm, had this debate thing, and we were losing to this really rude paraplegic guy who tricked Jeff into catching him to prove that man is good. So, I kissed Jeff on stage, and Jeff dropped him. We won, and that was our first kiss.”</p><p>“Sounds like quite the way to do it.”</p><p>“Yeah. I don’t think either of us really knew what to do at that point. I mean, I liked him, but he was still very into Britta, and then began dating this professor. Things happened, and at a dance at the end of the year, both of them apparently told Jeff that they loved him in public. He ran out, and ran into me. We talked about what happened, and he was so freaked out. And then I kissed him. And he kissed me back.”</p><p>“Aw, that’s sweet. Sounds like he really valued your opinion.”</p><p>“Right!? You’d think we would do something after that, but noooo, this idiot decided to practically ignore me the whole summer, and then slept with Britta for basically the whole school year.”</p><p>“Jeffrey! That’s no way to treat someone! I taught you better than that, imagine what this poor girl went through!”</p><p>Jeff’s head hung slightly, feeling somewhat ashamed. Not just from the scorn, but from realizing that he probably had hurt Annie repeatedly while he tried to keep her at arm’s length. “I was an idiot. I’m sorry Annie.”</p><p>“It’s okay, you doofus.” Annie consoled him, giving him a light push on the shoulder to lighten the mood, before turning back to Doreen. “We didn’t really do anything after that, we just remained friends. I still liked him, and I thought he liked me too, but he kept holding back. It wasn’t until when I was leaving for my internship this past summer that I finally got him to sort of admit that. And after I returned, we figured it out and finally got together.”</p><p>“Well, I am glad that you two finally figured things out. And that’s a unique story, to put it mildly.”</p><p>“Six years, but it was worth it.” Annie beamed, and he couldn’t help looking at her. At the sheer relief radiating through her features. If it was relief about him finally coming to his senses, or about dinner going well, he didn’t know, but he couldn’t help finding himself drawn to her. In a way, he figured that was probably why he could never truly push her away. There was always something bringing him back, the joy of seeing her smile, how relaxed he felt when she distracted him, and how he simply kept gravitating back to her like a moth into the flame. </p><p>But while Jeff’s mind was wandering, and he was gazing lovingly at Annie, the two women of his life kept chatting. </p><p>“So uhm, what do you do for a living, Mrs Wi-, sorry, Doreen?”</p><p>“Oh, these days I work at a little shop in the city that sells various trinkets and things like that. I used to wait tables at restaurants when Jeffrey was younger, but thankfully I got out of that.”</p><p>“Didn’t pay well?”</p><p>“Oh, it paid fine, possibly more than I make now, but it was so inconsistent. You live and die by tips, and I didn’t exactly expect the tips to increase as I got older, so I moved on. Besides, it’s a lot of walking. I’m much less on my feet these days.”</p><p>“I told you mom; you don’t need to work anymore if you don’t want to.” Jeff returned to reality to remind her. </p><p>“Nonsense. I’m 62, not 82. I can still work; I just don’t want the physically demanding work if it can be helped.”</p><p>“I think it’s nice that you found a job you’re happy with. And you obviously have a very nice home.” Annie told her. </p><p>Doreen’s mouth twitched into a smile. “Thank you dear. If it’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that you should pursue what makes you happy. Nothing else really matters.” She sagely explained, while Jeff and Annie both glanced at each other momentarily, before quickly looking away and smiling to themselves. </p><p>Doreen too smiled at seeing the two silently interact, before continuing to eat some turkey.</p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“Uhm, excuse me Doreen, but is there a bathroom I can use?” Annie suddenly asked after they were done eating. <p>“Down the hallway and to the right.”</p><p>“Okay, thanks!” Annie cheerfully replied, and slipped out of her seat. Jeff had to his great relief seen that Annie had calmed down completely from her earlier nerves, and seemed to be in a great mood now. </p><p>Once Annie was safely out of listening distance, Jeff decided that he had to say something. </p><p>“Look mom, I realize how this must look to you.”</p><p>“Look like what dear?”</p><p>“Me and Annie. I know she’s quite young, and I’m older. William was older than you, and that didn’t end well. He was horrible to you. And here I come, disgraced lawyer, bringing back home a younger woman.”</p><p>“Jeffrey, I’m going to stop you right there.” Doreen said, and looked him right in the eyes. “Are you happy?”</p><p>“Yeah, of course.” Jeff instantly responded. </p><p>“Okay, do you love her?”</p><p>“Yeah, I do.” He replied without hesitation. </p><p>“Then that’s all I need to know.”</p><p>“Just like that?”</p><p>“Just like that.” Doreen firmly replied. “Jeffrey, I can tell that you’re smitten by her. I could hear it when we spoke over the summer, and I could hear it when you told me you were seeing someone. And I can tell that she’s smitten by you too. She loves you, Jeffrey. You seem good for each other. You’re much more open, and she seems like she relaxes around you. You’re both happy and in love, that’s all that matters. And you’re not your father, Jeffrey. You never were. His issues weren’t about being older than me, they were that he was a lying man who got stuck in a life he wasn’t enjoying. He got angry, and he took that out the wrong way.”</p><p>“Mom, don’t make excuses for that asshole.”</p><p>“I’m not, I’m simply explaining. Your father wasn’t a good man. He was angry, manipulative and showed no understanding of other people’s emotions. He only saw himself. You’re not him. You aren’t violent, and I know that you understand and care about people even if you never admit it. I have seen you show more care and understanding tonight than I ever saw from your father. And you definitely don’t share his anger. You’re happier than ever, Jeffrey, and I can tell that you would do anything for her. You wouldn’t hurt her, and you two have known each other for years. I don’t care that she’s younger than you, because I trust that you won’t hurt her, and I just want you to be happy.”</p><p>Jeff was stunned into silence. He didn’t really know what to say. Doreen seemed to sense this, and walked over to him to embrace him.</p><p>“Your happiness is what means the most to me. That’s all I wanted for you growing up, I wanted you to be happy after all you went through. And Annie makes you happy, so you have my blessing. Not that you needed such a silly thing anyway.”</p><p>In the hallway, Annie wiped away her tears, having overheard part of the conversation without wanting to interrupt their moment.</p><p>
  <em>***</em>
</p><p>Once dinner had been eaten, the three of them returned to the couch, feeling suitably full after eating substantial amounts of turkey.</p><p>The trio chatted casually, talking about Jeff’s upcoming job, Doreen’s discovered love for painting, and how life in Washington DC had been for Annie. They had all gotten comfortable with each other, and to Annie’s relief, Doreen seemed to like her. She seemed genuinely curious about them, and kept on being supportive. </p><p>“Jeffrey dear, I forgot to ask before dinner, but could you please go fetch a bottle of red? There should be some down in the basement, pick whichever one you fancy.” Doreen suddenly asked after having glanced at the empty wine glasses she had put out.</p><p>“Mom, do we need to?” Jeff asked, and seemed to subtly gesture towards Annie.</p><p>“Jeffrey, relax. I won’t scare your sweet girlfriend away; I just want to talk with her in private. And take your time picking dear, I promise I won’t do anything bad.”</p><p>Jeff looked over at Annie, who nodded to give him her approval.</p><p>“Okay. But promise me you’ll go easy on her?” Jeff said between clenched teeth. </p><p>“Yes Jeffrey, I already promised that. Now shoo.”</p><p>Jeff walked off and cast a slightly worried look at Annie.</p><p>Annie gulped.</p><p>“Now dear, don’t be afraid. I just wanted him out of the room for a bit so we can get familiar without him being so protective.”</p><p>Annie nodded nervously, rubbing her neck.</p><p>“Jeffrey told me that you don’t have the best relationship with your parents, I assume he told you that I’m aware?”</p><p>“Yeah..”</p><p>“I’m not mad at you, Annie. I think you’re really sweet. I’m grateful that you’ve made Jeffrey so happy. I haven’t seen or heard him so genuinely pleased for years. And I’m not mad that you didn’t want to meet me right away.”</p><p>“You’re not? I thought…”</p><p>“Yes, I really wanted to meet you sweetie. I wanted to see who had gotten my son so spellbound and in love. And after meeting you, I don’t blame him at all. You’re an absolutely wonderful, special young woman, and I’m grateful that you’re the one he ended up with. I know he’s a handsome man, and he could easily have ended up with someone absolutely terrible. But he found you, and I’m happy with that. I can tell how much you both mean to each other.”</p><p>Annie nodded, with her mouth twitching up into a smile as her features softened.</p><p>“But what I was going to say, and I’m sorry for blabbing on, I just got so excited, was that parents can be scary. It’s like you’re all ‘<em>official</em>’. I don’t blame you for waiting. And I know what it’s like when someone has bad parents. Jeffrey’s father hurt him so much, and I worked for years to try to fix that, to always support him and love him, even when he made mistakes.” Doreen said, before looking down at the ground with a sad expression on her face. </p><p>“But I was never able to fix him.” She continued. “I was so worried after I heard he had visited his father three years ago, but thankfully nothing bad came out of that. I think Jeffrey realized that I was right about his father, that William was the problem, not him.” Doreen said, and finally looked up at Annie again.</p><p>“But that doesn’t mean that his scars healed, or that he became happy. So that’s why I’m happy now, because I can tell that for the first time in years, he is happy, he’s not pretending or putting on some façade for me. My selfish wish to meet you isn’t important as long as you both are happy together. <em>That</em> is what I wanted to tell you.”</p><p>“Wow. Uhm, thank you Doreen.” Annie stammered. She was stunned, and lacked the words to properly respond. “That means a lot, I figured you would be mad at me or disappointed, or that I wouldn’t live up to your expectations.” Annie said, sniffling as her tears started to come out.</p><p>“Oh, come here you.” Doreen said, and moved over to the couch, where she pulled Annie into her warm embrace. “You’re absolutely perfect dear. You’re wonderful, and I couldn’t be happier to have you.” Doreen consoled her, while Annie shed some tears, and sniffled.</p><p>Jeff came walking in moments later, and saw Annie leaned into his mom, seemingly having cried.</p><p>“Mom, what the hell!? I <em>told you</em> to go easy!” Jeff angrily burst out.</p><p>“Jeffrey, relax. We’ve bonded. I was nothing but nice, but things just got a bit emotional.” Doreen said in a calm manner.</p><p>“It’s okay Jeff, she was really nice to me.” Annie reassured him, giving him a soft, genuine smile.</p><p>Jeff’s heart slightly cracked from seeing her tears, but his features relaxed as he saw her genuine, '<em>I’m okay</em>'-smile. “Okay, I just saw that you had cried, I thought..”</p><p>“It’s okay Jeffrey. You brought your sweet girlfriend home to your mom for the first time, and then I make her cry? I know how that must look. But it’s sweet that you care so much.” Doreen interjected. </p><p>To Annie’s relief, Jeff seemed to accept that, and gave them an accepting nod before pouring all of them some wine and sitting down beside Annie again.</p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>After opening up the wine bottle and beginning dessert, things eased down again. Emotions were calmer, and everyone in attendance enjoyed themselves over some brownies and ice cream, with even Jeff eating some for a change after the two women of his life teased him a little. It was a little scary seeing how easily they teamed up to put pressure on him, but he was mostly relieved at how well things had gone.<p>His mom told Annie about how she usually celebrated with her sister, and that she and Jeff hadn’t celebrated together in quite a few years, as Jeff had worked hard to avoid family events since getting disbarred. At this, Jeff had looked away, clearly a bit uncomfortable. </p><p>All that meant that Doreen was all the more pleased to be celebrating at home with Jeff again. Annie tried apologizing that Doreen couldn’t have guests this time, but Doreen wasn’t having it. Getting Jeff to attend and meeting his wonderful girlfriend was more important, she could meet her sister some other time.</p><p>A few hours later, Jeff and Annie were heading out the door, with Annie and Doreen sharing a warm hug on the porch. It was truly heartwarming for Jeff to see how quickly they had gotten along, and how happy Annie was.</p><p>Jeff exchanged a quick hug with his mom, and he was about to leave when she spoke.</p><p>“Jeffrey, wait a second before you go?”</p><p>“Sure.”</p><p>“Meet you at the car?” Annie asked from behind him.</p><p>Jeff turned around to reply. “Yeah, be right there.”</p><p>Annie walked off, and his mother finally spoke. “I’m glad you brought her here Jeffrey. She’s absolutely lovely, I can see why you’re so taken with her.”</p><p>“Thanks mom.” Jeff said, a tight-lipped smile appearing on his face.</p><p>“You’ve been a good boyfriend, Jeffrey. I’m proud of you, you know? You’re following the career you want; you have a plan, you’ve met someone you love, and you’re happy. That’s all I could ever ask for.”</p><p>“Thanks mom, I’m, uh… glad you’re being supportive. And I’m glad you two got along so well.”</p><p>“Of course, dear, the pleasure was all mine. Now, you should go, don’t keep her waiting.” Doreen said, glancing over at the car where Annie had sat down in the passenger seat.</p><p>“Yeah. Uhm, speak soon?”</p><p>“Yeah, that would be lovely.”</p><p>Jeff shared another hug and goodbye, before heading over to car. He and Annie drove back to Greendale in a buoyant mood, both relieved at everything.</p><p>“I’m glad you let me meet her.” Annie suddenly told him on the way back.</p><p>“Yeah, I am too.”</p><p>The two shared a quick, loving glance. This was all working out perfectly.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to Raj_Sound for beta reading this chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jeff has his first day at a new job, but not before Greendale throws him yet another crisis.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“And that’s why your opening statement is so important. Miss on that, and the whole case might be lost before you even got the chance to argue. Remember, everything is relative, including the truth.” Jeff explained to his class, putting a big, fat line under the line <em>'truth is relative'</em>.</p><p>“Right, that’s it for today. Remember, exam in two weeks, so better start prepping. We’ll be wrapping up the book on Thursday, then two summary classes next week. Read chapter 14 by Thursday.” Jeff continued, then sat down in his chair. “You can go.”</p><p>As class filtered out, Jeff let out a sigh. This was going to be a long day. And if it wasn’t going to long enough already, he saw Frankie approaching. Frankie seeking you out in person had turned into stuff of legend among faculty after her <em>'streamlining'</em> process regarding classes and teachers, so this couldn’t be good. He supposed he was on good terms with her now after she had moved on from her Annie-related concerns, but she still worried him on some level. </p><p>“Jeff, glad to see you here. I need your assistance.”</p><p>“Cutting right to the chase, nice. However, I can’t help you. I have somewhere to be in a few hours, and I’d like to eat lunch and change first, so I don’t have time.”</p><p>“You’re on the clock for another hour, so you’ll have to make do. It’s an urgent matter. Pack up your things and follow me, you can leave them in your office on the way.” Frankie replied.</p><p>Jeff rolled his eyes, hoping she wouldn’t notice. </p><p>She noticed. </p><p>“Don’t roll your eyes at me, Jeff. I’m your superior, you’ll respect my authority.”</p><p>“Yes ma’am, your wish is my command.” Jeff sarcastically quipped as he pushed his laptop and book into his bag and slung it over his shoulder. </p><p>“Jeff, I’m warning you, don’t act like this. You acting like this undermines my authority.”</p><p>“It’s really not that serious.” Jeff retorted.</p><p>Frankie gave him a stink eye and a sour face.</p><p>“Do you want my help or not? Because if you do, let me be myself.”</p><p>Frankie sighed. “Fine, come with me.”</p><p>The two walked in silence, dropping off Jeff’s bag at his office before heading into the administration building. Jeff realized that they were likely heading to the Dean. Things had been slightly weird between them the past few weeks, with Craig keeping an unusual distance. He was probably hurt that Jeff was leaving, but it couldn’t be helped. He would just have to get over it. </p><p>As expected, Frankie stepped into Craig’s office with Jeff in tow. </p><p>“Oh, hi Frankie… Jeffrey! It’s so good to see you, what a dean-lightful surprise!” Craig beamed upon seeing Jeff. </p><p>“Hi Craig, good to see you too.” Jeff replied politely, then looked over at Frankie. </p><p>Frankie cleared her throat. “Craig, why don’t you show Jeff what you showed me earlier?” </p><p>“Frankie, what a wonderful idea!” Craig beamed, and jumped up from his seat.</p><p>“Aubrey! Please un-clutter my desk!”</p><p>His elderly secretary came walking in, and removed a few objects from his desk, while Craig unlocked the door to his storage closet. Jeff knew that he usually had costumes in there, and recently paintball guns (again), but he really hoped it was neither of them. </p><p>Once Aubrey had sufficiently cleaned the desk, Craig opened up the closet. “No peeking! You know what, close your eyes, I’ll tell you when you can open them. </p><p>Jeff didn’t oblige. </p><p>“Jeffrey! Eyes!”</p><p>Jeff sighed, then closed his eyes. Frankie remained stoic as ever beside him. A few seconds later, something was put on the table. </p><p>“You may open your eyes.”</p><p>Jeff opened his eyes and saw a 3D model of what looked like a football stadium. “Uh, what’s this?”</p><p>“This Jeffrey, is the <em>Greendale Thunderdome</em>!” Craig beamed excitedly, and hugged Jeff’s side, with his left hand on Jeff’s stomach. Jeff pushed him off. </p><p>“I know for a fact that it isn’t, I drove past it on my way here this morning. What is this all about, Craig?”</p><p>“I told you, this is the Greendale Thunderdome! Or what it will look like once it’s finished anyway.” </p><p>“Finished, what the hell do you mean? You’re not serious, right?” Jeff asked. At seeing Craig’s unwavering expression, he pushed further. “Please tell me you’re not serious.”</p><p>“Oh, I’m serious. I’m Frankie serious.” Craig said, his face unmoving for a few seconds, before he suddenly broke into a smile. “I <em>may</em> have hired an architectural firm to design a proposed expansion to the existing Thunderdome.”</p><p>“This isn’t an expansion; this is a full blown rebuild. This is insane.”</p><p>“I know!”</p><p>“I tried telling him how I felt about it, but he refused to listen.” Frankie finally said, having looked on from the side. </p><p>“Can you tell me more about it?” Jeff asked Craig. </p><p>“Well, it will seat 45.000 people, state of the art of course. As you can see on the model, plan is to build it up into a bowl. Thunderdome isn’t the most accurate name, but it rings better than Thunderbowl.”</p><p>Jeff was speechless. He was without speech. This was so absurd to him that it in no way could happen. But in case Craig tried to push it through, he had to stop it. </p><p>“That’s <em>absurd</em>. I doubt we’re even getting four hundred and fifty people to show up per game right now, let alone forty-five thousand. There’s barely that amount of people in the whole Greendale area. We barely have a few thousand students. You’re insane. There’s no way in hell you’ll be able to fill that thing!”</p><p>“But Jeffrey, attendance will improve once we get better stadium and team in place!”</p><p>“Have you seen them play lately? Because I tried watching them last year, and they can’t even complete a five-yard pass. They are the worst team in the division. We aren’t even in division three, we can’t even make Ivy League! And even those teams can’t fill stadiums that size. City College are far better than us, and even they barely get a thousand people to show up.”</p><p>“Jeffrey! You’re being so negative!” Craig cried out, and Jeff could see that he was on the verge of tears. </p><p>“I’m being realistic. Both me and Frankie agree that this is ridiculous. Besides, how are you even going to pay for this?”</p><p>As if on cue (or listening outside the door), Chang burst into the room. </p><p>“I’ve done the math Jeff. While taking up a <em>modest loan</em> of forty million dollars at an interest rate of 20%, we can expect to have it all repaid by 2064, provided we sell out every game and cut general school costs by 35%.”</p><p>“Seriously Craig, you asked <em>Chang</em> to calculate how to pay for it?”</p><p>At this, Chang took great offense. “Are you saying that my people can’t do math!? That’s racist.” He said, full of scorn in his voice. </p><p>“I’m saying that <em>you</em> can’t do finances, because <em>you</em> aren’t qualified.” Jeff bit back at him. </p><p>“Why Chang is our math teacher, who better to ask?”</p><p>“The finance teacher, Ms. Cooper? Frankie? The board? Annie? Literally anyone else?”</p><p>“I asked Professor Whitman too!” Craig protested.</p><p>“Yeah, and I bet he told you to go for it so you could <em>‘seize the day’</em> because that’s literally all he ever tells anyone. Seriously, why does he still have a job?”</p><p>“Fair point.”</p><p>“You just asked whoever is crazy enough to say that you can do it. And even Chang thinks you will only be able to repay it in nearly <em>fifty years</em> if you sell out every game, and you will <em>never</em> sell out a single game!” Jeff angrily explained. </p><p>“Wow, Jeffrey… I hadn’t thought of it like that…”</p><p>“Good, so cancel the whole thing. If you want to make the Human Beings more enjoyable to watch, get some comfortable seating instead of those god-awful metal bleachers. And sell some hot dogs and soda on the sideline. And maybe give them an actual locker room so people want to play for them.”</p><p>“You know what Jeffrey; those are some good ideas! Aubrey, did you get that? Please write that down.”</p><p>“Craig, I would advise you not to prioritize such improvements right now, we have multiple other areas in need of improvement.” Frankie interjected. </p><p>“Just let him, it’s not as crazy as the other suggestion.” Jeff whispered to her. </p><p>Craig tilted his head quizzically. “What are you two whispering about?” </p><p>“Nothing.” Frankie replied.</p><p>“Alright then, keep your secrets.” </p><p>“While this has been tons of fun, I really need to leave, I don’t want to be late for the first day of a new job.” Jeff said, looking at the time on his phone. “Frankie?”</p><p>“Right. You may leave. Thanks for helping.”</p><p>Jeff headed out the door in a hurry. </p><p>“If Jeff is leaving, can I get his job?” Chang asked Craig and Frankie. </p><p>“No.” Both of them responded in an emphatic chorus.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Jeff was finally in downtown Denver, having just made it there after some pre-prepped lunch and a change. Internally he wondered if he’d just need to wear a suit to Greendale on the days he’d be working double, and simply try to avoid Craig so there wouldn’t be any drool on his suit.<p>Thankfully, it wasn’t hard to find a parking spot, he could park in a spacious lot around the block. Jeff looked up at the entrance to the unassuming office building. His life would once again change forever once he went inside. </p><p>Jeff flicked out his phone, checking to see if he had gotten any reassuring messages. To his relief, he found two. </p><p>
  <em>Good luck today!!! You’ll do great. Love you and see you tomorrow! &lt;3</em><br/>
<strong>-Annie &lt;3, 2:47 PM</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Good luck today dear, I’m proud of you for putting yourself out there again.</em><br/>
<strong>-Mom, 2:34 PM</strong>
</p><p>He made a mental note to himself to ask Annie why his mom knew exactly when he was starting for the day. He suspected the two had exchanged numbers on Thanksgiving unbeknownst to him. </p><p>And then he spied another message, from Abed. </p><p>
  <em>Annie told me that you’re beginning a new job today, adding a parallel to Annie’s new work life. Nice work. Though I don’t agree with the choice of genre, season 7 has turned out quite interesting. When does the finale air?</em><br/>
<strong>-Movie Director, 2:22 PM</strong>
</p><p>Jeff shook his head. He’d deal with Abed later. After taking a deep breath, Jeff went into the building and headed up to the seventh floor, where Lewis &amp; Associates had their offices. He stepped out of the elevator and was met with the kind face of who he assumed was the receptionist. </p><p>Jeff checked the clock on his phone again. Five minutes early. Okay, he could do this. </p><p>The receptionist looked up from her computer and saw Jeff standing a few feet away from the elevator with his eyes down at his phone. </p><p>“Hi! Welcome to Lewis &amp; Associates, how can I help you?” The receptionist cheerfully greeted. </p><p>“Hi, I’m Jeff Winger.” Jeff said, and politely walked up to her desk. “Today’s my first day.”</p><p>“Oh, okay.” She said, her face turning up into a bright smile. “Mark informed me that you would be coming today. Just hold on, and I’ll get word to him. He insisted on giving you the tour himself. I’m Evie, by the way.”</p><p>“Pleasure to meet you, Evie.”</p><p>Evie practically beamed, before pressing a button behind her desk. “Mark, Jeff is here for you.”</p><p>“Be right there.” A robotic sounding Mark replied back. </p><p>“Mark will be here soon.” Evie politely explained. </p><p>Jeff nodded. He considered remarking that he had heard but thought better of it. </p><p>Moments later, Mark came strolling out. </p><p>“Tangooo!” Mark greeted warmly once he rounded the corner into the reception area, his arms wide in anticipation of a hug. </p><p>“Cash.” Jeff greeted warmly, a grin appearing on his face. As expected, Mark went in for the hug, practically jumping into Jeff’s arms. “Hey, careful with the suit, it’s silk.” Jeff chuckled while hugging Mark. </p><p>“Classic Winger, going for the Italian silk. Man, I’m so excited to have you back. This is going to be awesome.”</p><p>Jeff laughed nervously, noting the curious expression of the receptionist watching their interaction. “Yeah, I hope so.”</p><p>“Come on, let me give you the tour.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Mark led Jeff through the modest, mostly dark grey and black wood colored office, guiding him through the office area, where he noticed others were hard at work. Most were looking at their computers, while some looked up and eyed him curiously as they walked past, with Mark chatting furiously.<p>They finally reached the end of the hallway, where it turned into a hallway going to the side. Jeff spied another office but couldn’t see if there was anyone in there as they approached. And then Mark stopped and turned around to Jeff. </p><p>“And this, my dear friend, will be your office.” Mark announced outside the door, before pushing it open and stepping inside, with Jeff in tow. </p><p>The office looked much like the rest of the place, with dark walls, a wide dark wood desk with a computer on it, and the same type of chair he had seen in Mark’s office. He supposed they had bought them in bulk. </p><p>“Now, it’s a bit empty right now, but feel free to decorate it however you want. Just don’t tear down the walls.”</p><p>Jeff looked around at the features of the office and noted that the windows on both sides certainly gave the room enough light. It was spacious enough to move around comfortably in, with a file cabinet and a long, normal cabinet on ground level, with some shelves over them on the opposite side of the windows.</p><p>“If you’re worried about the light, don’t worry. We have <em>excellent blinders</em>.” Mark said, and pressed a switch beside the door, which made the blinders outside come down, with the room descending into darkness. “And great lights in the ceiling, perfect for working at night. Gets darker earlier every day now, so you might need it.”</p><p>“Are you sure about this?” Jeff felt like he had to ask. “I’ll only be here a few hours a week, I don’t need such a big office.”</p><p>“Nonsense. This office has stood empty for a few months now, and it suits the role you’ll get in June. More practical to move you in here right now than to give you a smaller one and move you later.”</p><p>“If you say so.” Jeff sighed. He knew Mark meant well but couldn’t help but fear that some people would be rubbed the wrong way by this. </p><p>“Anyway, let us continue the tour, we’ll be back here later.” Mark said and grabbed the door. </p><p>The tour went on, with Mark showing Jeff the big conference room, their well-equipped break room, complete with a brand new expensive-looking coffee maker, and a few smaller conference rooms. It was all very impressive, and Jeff couldn’t help but marvel at how a firm started barely five years ago could grow to this size. </p><p>Soon enough, they had done a full circle, and were back at reception. It wasn’t as spacious and open as the other firm he had received an offer from, but it sure was impressive for how young the company was. </p><p>Mark led him back the way they had initially entered and took a sharp turn into his office. </p><p>“Now, what do you think? Sorry you couldn’t meet anyone, but I think everyone’s busy right now.” Mark said as he plopped himself into his chair, leaning back with his hands over his head. </p><p>“I’m sure I’ll meet them all soon. And it looks great, really.” Jeff replied, sitting down in a chair on the opposite side of the desk. </p><p>“Awesome. I’ll send you some files for you to take a peek at, but just spend the day getting acquainted with everything. Your computer has been set up for you, just set a name and a password and you’re ready to go. If you have any IT issues, we have this IT-kid, Marcus. He’s in our little annex to the left of reception.”</p><p>“Alright. Uhm, before I get going, I actually have a potential client for you.”</p><p>“Damn, straight to business! Well let’s hear it then, what do you have for me?”</p><p>“It’s Greendale Community College, my other job. They mentioned to me that they would be interested in having a lawyer on retainer, given that they’ve had certain issues in the past.”</p><p>“What kind of issues are we talking here?”</p><p>“Mostly student related stuff, protecting their employees against lawsuits, that kind of thing. Also was an insurance case where they had a roof collapse, and the contractor that last worked on it refused to take responsibility, and their insurance didn’t cover it either.”</p><p>“Huh, sounds like they could need some help.”</p><p>“Yeah. The Dean there really likes me, so I think he wants me to be their lawyer, but we obviously can’t do that yet.”</p><p>“Okay, what we <em>could</em> do is that I take them on as a client and handle that until June, with you consulting on any cases related to them, should they appear. And then once you enter a full position, you’ll get that account from me.”</p><p>Jeff blinked rapidly. Mark was being remarkably helpful with this. “Yeah, that sounds great. I’ll send you the contact info for Frankie Dart. She’s the school administrator, she deals with stuff like that. She’s a bit stoic, but just go straight to the point and you’ll be fine.”</p><p>“Noted. I assume Greendale are closed now, so probably best if I call tomorrow morning?” </p><p>“Yeah. I can give her a heads up to expect a call from you tomorrow.”</p><p>“Great. You know, I knew adding you was good idea. Bringing in business right out of gate, <em>that’s</em> how you make a mark.”</p><p>“Pun intended?” Jeff joked.</p><p>“Damn it.”</p><p>“I take that as a no.” Jeff chuckled. “I think I’ll see myself out though, try to get used to having a big office again. Thanks for the tour, and for the opportunity. I appreciate it, really.” Jeff told him sincerely. </p><p>“No problem, buddy. This will be great for us both. And if you have any questions, just hit me up. I won’t mind if you have some ring rust.”</p><p>“Alright, I will.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Jeff went back to his new office, feeling the scrutiny of his new co-workers as he passed by the offices where the blinders weren’t already pulled down. He was new there, wasn’t even hired in a full position yet, and he had received a big office already. When he thought <em>corner office</em>, he didn’t assume he would get such a spacious corner.<p>He sat down in his new chair and let out a deep breath. He flipped it around and looked out the window. Even the view was great. Damn it. This was far too much for him to receive after such a long time out.</p><p>With his doubts not exactly quenched, his computer set up, and his desktop lamp placed the exact right way (was Annie’s meticulous habits starting to rub onto him?), Jeff decided to go check his new work email. </p><p>Before he got the chance however, there was a knock on his door before someone stepped inside. A man, looking slightly younger than himself, with blonde hair and an unmistakable face. </p><p>“Aaron?”</p><p>“You know, I knew it was something familiar with that tall guy walking beside Mark in the hallway earlier. Couldn’t see your face properly. But I’ll be damned. How long has it been now?”</p><p>“Six and a half year now.” Jeff replied quickly. He definitely hadn’t been keeping track.</p><p>“Jesus, time flies. It’s good to see you man. I see you grew a beard since last time.”</p><p>“Yeah, good to see you too. And this? It’s nothing.” Jeff replied, rubbing his beard. He did grow a nice beard, even if it was more of a well-trimmed stubble.</p><p>“Always so humble.” Aaron laughed. “Man, what happened to you?”</p><p>“Well, my license got suspended, as you probably remember, then I went to community college to get my undergrad, tried to start my own firm without any luck, and then went into teaching. And here I am.”</p><p>“Wow. Well, that’s a story. You back for good?”</p><p>“Think so. Just a consulting gig until my contract at Greendale runs out, then I’m back full time.”</p><p>“Wow.”</p><p>“What about you, how’d you end up here?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>“Man, I tried to stay on at Hamish. Wasn’t as high up the pecking order as you, and I just kept being stuck.”</p><p>“I told you man; you have to keep pushing for every single case.”</p><p>“Yea… I know. It was just hopeless when I tried to be decent to people and they just screwed me over. Then around three years ago, Mark approached me and offered me a job. I had a non-compete, but he took me on anyway.”</p><p>“Yeah, that place was screwed up. I’m glad you got out of there.”</p><p>“Thanks man. I’m glad to see that you landed on your feet too. You know, you weren’t my favorite at the time, but seeing how the place turned out after you and Mark left… I suddenly started to like you a whole lot more.” Aaron said, and instantly chuckled. </p><p>“Well, that’s definitely the second best back-handed compliment I’ve ever received.” Jeff snorted. </p><p>“Okay, now you <em>have to</em> tell me the best one.”</p><p>“It was the time Ted went <em>‘Jeff, you’re the favorite son of a bitch I’ve ever hired. Wouldn’t trust you alone with my daughter for even a second.’</em>” Jeff said, imitating Ted’s voice. </p><p>“Man, that guy was crazy.”</p><p>“Yup. By the way, is there anyone else here that I might know?” Jeff questioned.</p><p>Aaron’s eyes lit up. “Oh my God.”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Lisa! She’s going to be so happy to see you.”</p><p>“Lisa, the paralegal?” Jeff questioned. </p><p>“Yep. She’s here. Man, I remember she used to crush on you, bad.”</p><p>Jeff gulped. He remembered Lisa, the attractive blonde paralegal who had spent the last half a year of his time at Hamish trying to get his attention. If he had stayed for longer, he might have tried something with her. She was cute, after all. “Ah, that’s great.”</p><p>“By the way, you didn’t hear this from me, but Mark is definitely going to get everyone to meet up in the conference room later and surprise you there.”</p><p>“Sneaky. That explains why he didn’t really introduce me to anyone.”</p><p>“Oh yeah, he likes to do that.”</p><p>“Classic Mark, he loves a good spectacle.” Jeff said, shaking his head.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>A while later, Aaron had left, and Jeff got back to work, checking out an inheritance case he had been sent in the meantime. He waited in nervous anticipation for Mark to burst in the door, hoping that his new co-workers would accept him.<p>As if on cue, Mark came bursting in the door. “Jeff! Meeting in the conference room in two minutes.” He announced, then bounced right out again. </p><p>Jeff gulped. Here goes nothing, he supposed. For reassurance, he checked his phone. It used to be his safety blanket, the wall he built up to keep society out. But now it wasn’t the phone that comforted him, it was what was on it. He opened up his chat with Annie and re-read the message she had sent him earlier. He tried not to scroll up to look at the photo she sent him a few days earlier, he couldn’t possibly walk into that conference room afterwards if he did. </p><p>But her support meant the world to him, as did the one from his mom. It was those two that had pushed him towards doing this. He could push through an awkward first day for them. </p><p>He took a deep breath and stood up to head over there. He walked past the conference room, where all the blinders were pulled down. Classic. He opened the door carefully, and stepped inside, seeing conference room full of people. </p><p>“Everyone, I’d like you to welcome Jeff Winger, our newest consultant and future partner!” Mark announced to the room and began clapping. </p><p>The rest of the room clapped with him, except one. </p><p>“Jeff?” A female voice he hadn’t heard in years asked. A moderately tall blonde woman bounced out of her seat and ran towards him. Lisa. She was wearing glasses now – that was new, otherwise she looked the same as years prior.</p><p>He didn’t really know if she was going to punch him or hug him, but either way they were making a scene. Jeff soon got his answer, as she crashed into him, giving him a big hug. “Ohmygod, it’s so good to see you!” She babbled out as she held him. </p><p>“Yeah, it’s good to see you too Lisa. Been a while.” Jeff said back in a more collected voice, noting the looks they got from everyone else in the room. Mark mouthed a silent <em>‘Sorry’</em> as Jeff met his eyes. Everyone was talking about them now. Shit. </p><p>“Lisa, if you’ll please be seated, we have a briefing to get through.” Mark called out to her.</p><p>“Right. Sorry Mr. Lewis.” Lisa said, and hurried back to her chair with her eyes down, avoiding the prying looks of the others. </p><p>Jeff sat down in the free chair at the edge of the table. Chair looked new. <em>He probably brought this out of storage just for me</em>, Jeff pondered to himself as Mark began to speak again. </p><p>“Jeff here will be a consultant for us initially, as he has other obligations on the side that he needs to take care of. But don’t mistake his title for lack of competence. This man has batted a thousand in court. He doesn’t lose. As you may have noticed, we’re starting to explore family law as a field to expand our horizons, and Jeff is my hand-picked choice to spearhead that development due to his unrivaled record in court.” Mark began explaining. </p><p>“Now, most of you will be wondering what this means for you. In the short term, it likely won’t change anything. Jeff will be consulting on cases and be available to help strategize with you. In the long term, we’ll be expanding our operations beyond criminal law as a natural expansion of our firm.” </p><p>“That means that some of you might be getting a bigger variety of cases for now. That’s not set in stone though, and we might begin to shift people over to family law related cases exclusively if we get enough of them. However, we won’t be opening up a family law department until June, when Jeff will be stepping into a full position.” Mark finished explaining and stopped to catch his breath. “Now, are there any questions?”</p><p>A man raised his hand, and Mark indicated that he could speak. “Why exactly are we expanding our business? We’re making a solid profit, why jeopardize that?”</p><p>“That’s an understandable question. The reason is based on what me and the finance department discussed a little over a month ago, regarding managing risk. By specializing, we have a clear brand, but we’re also vulnerable should anyone eat into our share. By broadening our focus, we mitigate the risk of collapsing should we lose a market share in one field. Outside of that, Family Law is good PR. Right now, we’re only in the papers for saving alleged criminals. If we can help families, be involved in feel-good material, that will help our reputation as a firm people can trust. As we’re firmly established within criminal law now, this is the optimal time to broaden our horizons.”</p><p>“Why not start a full division now?” Another person asked. </p><p>“It ties back to managing risk. By not moving completely into it, we can slowly build up internal competence while minimizing financial risk. With Jeff on board, we have the extra competence to handle that without diverting many resources or manpower. We start small so we can expand as demand for our services increases.”</p><p>“And why exactly are you bringing him on?” Another person questioned, glancing over at Jeff before turning back to Mark. “I realize that his court record is spotless, but based on what I was able to find, he got disbarred at one point, had a firm fail without getting a single case, and is currently teaching. He hasn’t been in court in nearly seven years, Mark.”</p><p>Mark glanced at the guy, then over at Jeff. “I brought him in because he’s the finest defense lawyer I have ever been around. He did more without a valid license than most other lawyers did in years.”</p><p>Jeff decided to speak. “I don’t know you, mister, but I feel like I should explain myself. I got disbarred because I faked an undergrad.” People looked at him surprised, whispering inaudibly between each other. Undeterred, Jeff pushed on. “Yeah, I’m <em>that</em> guy. I screwed up. And I screwed up again when I tried to start my own firm without enough money. Now Mark has given me a shot to start over again. If I deserve that isn’t for me to say, but I promise each and every one of you that I’ll be giving everything I have to help the firm. I’m not here to upstage anyone, backstab anyone, or do anything like that. I’ve lived that life already, and that’s not what I came back for. I came back because I think I can use my abilities to help out.”</p><p>“And why do you think you’re able to help? A lot of things change in seven years.” The man pointed out.</p><p>“Good thing I teach law then, so I know what’s changed. It’s my job to know what changes, I’m well aware. But while laws change every now and then, the job doesn’t. Our job is to help our client win, no matter what. I can do that; my record speaks for itself.” Jeff argued, and he could feel a smile forming on his face. He’d missed these arguments, even if he were now defending himself as opposed to a client. </p><p>“A record you haven’t added to in years.”</p><p>“We already established that. Returning to a straw man argument won’t help your case here. Now, you could argue that you shouldn’t <em>trust me</em> after my disbarring but attacking my record for being outdated is the <em>completely</em> wrong approach here. You can’t in good conscience go refer to court cases from fifty years ago as precedent, and then turn around and disregard my court record from seven years ago as irrelevant.”</p><p>“You listen here, you smug little shit!” He shouted back at Jeff, pointing his finger aggressively towards Jeff, before Jeff interrupted him. </p><p>“Little? I’m bigger, taller and older than you. Come on, you’re really reaching now.” Jeff interrupted, and he couldn’t help but put on a shit eating grin as he did. He knew he had put the other man massively off his spot by picking on his argument. </p><p>“You know what? Screw you, you think you can come in here and act like you...”</p><p>“JARED!” Mark’s voice shouted out, in a much more commanding manner than Jeff had ever heard. “If you can’t settle down, I’m gonna have ask you to leave the meeting. Is there a problem here?”</p><p>“No sir.” Jared replied between gritted teeth. He wasn’t happy, Jeff could see it on his face. </p><p>“Good. Jeff is here to stay, and I have complete faith in his ability to help us out. Meeting adjourned, you may return to your work.”</p><p>As people filed out, Jeff politely shook hands with a few that headed out, with Lisa lingering a little extra, until it was only him and Mark left in the room. </p><p>“Hey, sorry for making a scene there.” Jeff offered. </p><p>Mark shook his head. “You’ve got nothing to apologize for. He dug his own grave there, well done for putting him in his place. I <em>knew</em> you still had it in you, buddy. Do that kind of work in court, and we’ll be shitting money.”</p><p>“Hah, alright. I’ll uh, get back to it then.”</p><p>“If you want, you could talk to Lisa first. Sorry for springing that on you, I didn’t really think about it. But you might want to explain to her that you’re, you know, seeing someone. Best to nip stuff like that in the bud.”</p><p>“Yeah. Good point.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>“Man, nice first impression you made there.” Aaron chuckled as he passed him on the way to the break room.<p>“Yeah, thanks.” Jeff chuckled. “Didn’t really go as I hoped, but I guess it was inevitable.”  </p><p>“Hey, at least you got to show some of your ability. Man, you really pushed his buttons there.”</p><p>“Hey, if you focus on the wrong thing for even a brief second, that’s all the opening the opposition needs to wreck your case. Remember that.” </p><p>“Man, you really do sound like a teacher now.”</p><p>“Guess it’s good I’ll be consulting until I get my ring rust off then.” Jeff said with a slight laugh. “Anyway, see you later Aaron. Got someone I need to talk to.”</p><p>“Alright, good luck with that.” Aaron said, clapping him on the back before heading off with his coffee mug. </p><p>Jeff walked into the break room, and to his relief found that Lisa was the only one there. </p><p>“This seat free?” He asked, seeing as Lisa hadn’t looked up from her phone, and headset blocking out the outside noise. </p><p>She seemed to notice a sound and looked up. She instantly smiled. Damn it, this would suck. “Mind if I sit?” He repeated as she took off the headset. </p><p>“Yeah of course, sit down!” She excitedly said. “It’s so good to see you again!”</p><p>“Yeah, likewise. It’s good to see you’re doing alright for yourself, and that you got out of Hamish. What are you now, junior partner?”</p><p>“Yeah. Mark got me out of that horrible place and gave me more responsibility. I don’t think I could have handled much more of that place. But it’s really great to see you, I missed you like crazy. I tried calling you.”</p><p>“Ah, crap. I basically turned off my phone for weeks after what happened, and then changed numbers. I didn’t really want to be faced with everything, I had enough with myself for a while there.”</p><p>“Yeah, I get that. Some people there were really shitty about it.”</p><p>“Doesn’t surprise me one bit.”</p><p>Lisa looked down momentarily, then looked up again, her expression turning into a questioning, hopeful one. “But uhm, I know this is a bit forward, but would you be interested in maybe grabbing some food later to catch up? I know it’s been a while, so it’d be nice to talk in private.”</p><p>Jeff frowned. “I wouldn’t mind some food, but I think we should talk first.” He began saying. Might as well rip the bandage off right away, he figured. “I know you used to like me, and I didn’t really mind back then. I don’t know if you still feel like that, but I feel like I should be honest with you. I have a girlfriend whom I’m very happy with, I’m not looking for anything.”</p><p>“Oh.” Lisa said, and looked down. “Crap. I’m sorry. I wasn’t really sure, I just wanted to get to know you again, see if there was still anything there. I mean, you still look great, that beard looks amazing on you, but I didn’t really know… crap. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“You don’t have anything to apologize for. I’m flattered, really. I just felt I should say that up front, so you know where we stand. And it’s me that should be sorry. I led you along for months, and then basically ghosted you. That was a shitty thing of me to do, and I’m sorry.”</p><p>Lisa looked a bit downtrodden. “Yeah… thanks I guess..”</p><p>“Yeah...I’m gonna go now. Uh, have a good day, Lisa.” Jeff told her awkwardly and stood up. He contemplated offering to be her friend or something like that, but figured it was best to avoid it, as not to twist the knife further. He’d just need to deal with that later when the wound was less open.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>Thankfully, the rest of the day went by without much trouble. Jeff worked his way through the case he had been sent earlier, and replied back to his colleague with his verdict, and what his strategy would be if he were to take the case himself.<p>With that done, he was free to leave, and knocked on Mark’s door to indicate that he was leaving for the day, as per their agreement. Jeff drove back to Greendale, where he instantly crashed on his couch and fell asleep upon arrival. It had truly been a long day.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to Raj_Sound for beta reading!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! Any feedback is greatly appreciated and welcomed, as it really does make my day.</p><p>I also want to leave a big thanks to the fanfic channel of the Community Discord for support and help with my writing. Come join us there if you haven't already! 😀</p></blockquote></div></div>
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